Tuesday, October 11, 2011

forgive me if i laugh

Poetry Tuesday: Sonia Sanchez, most known for her affiliation with the Black Arts movement in the 60s and 70s.

The Philadelphia Weekly did a Q&A with her last year.


Ballad 
                     (after the spanish)

forgive me if i laugh 
you are so sure of love 
you are so young 
and i too old to learn of love.

the rain exploding 
in the air is love 
the grass excreting her 
green wax is love 
and stones remembering 
past steps is love, 
but you. you are too young 
for love 
and i too old.

once. what does it matter 
when or who, i knew 
of love. 
i fixed my body 
under his and went 
to sleep in love 
all trace of me 
was wiped away

forgive me if i smile 
young heiress of a naked dream 
you are so young 
and i too old to learn of love.
 ----------------------------------------
This is from my old neighborhood in Camden, where people
 have taken to painting poetry on abandoned houses. 
  
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

3 comments:

  1. mm.. what an awesome, powerful photo. So great that poetry is being written on houses. Did you start that? ; )

    ReplyDelete
  2. I wish I had! It started shortly after I left. I took this picture last Easter.

    ReplyDelete
  3. That's a great picture!

    Here's another love poem:

    Love Like Salt

    It lies in our hands in crystals
    too intricate to decipher

    It goes into the skillet
    without being given a second thought

    It spills on the floor so fine
    we step all over it

    We carry a pinch behind each eyeball

    It breaks out on our foreheads

    We store it inside our bodies
    in secret wineskins

    At supper, we pass it around the table
    talking of holidays and the sea.

    - Lisel Mueller

    ReplyDelete