An international poem

This very moving poem came through on my email this morning and I wanted to post it up. I think the poet is from Belgium, but his thoughts are universal and cross all geographical boundaries. Here it is courtesy of poetryinternational.org

Pushed out with worn-out furniture
her sprung insides show
the joys and woes of an old mattress.
The kapok suddenly releases secrets
and in its lumpy burls
refrains and duets stick:

Come my love, don’t withdraw
yet. Feel me over to see
if I’m a stranger once again
asking you the way to today –
I want to disappear inside
a raw body flap
as in a cave beneath the sea.

So bird-swift, with quick jerks,
this duet sounded like a duel
when in the middle of a kissed-away silence
a voice, almost choked, sprang up:
“If you die first, then I will surely follow . . .”

Come my love, pull me in
like a snail does its feelers:
I do not want to see the light
that whistles in my ribs –
Quickly set my coil-locked
body on fire: just one more sigh
and the bloom is gone.




© 2001, Lucienne Stassaert
© Translation: 2008, John Irons

Eureka Street poems

Hi folks. I am pleased to say there are poems of mine now on Eureka Street. The first one has lost its breaks between verses, but the others seem to be in place and format. Please take a look at http://www.eurekastreet.com.au/article.aspx?aeid=9920

I am presently in Broome as Writer in Residence at the Broome Library and Notre Dame University, organised by writingWA, our State lit office. Expect hot and humid Broome poems any day now!

Anyone reading this in The Kimberley can hear me on ABC radio tomorrow morning with Miranda Tetlow around 11.45am.

~sharing(secret)water~ ev13 has emerged

Raising our glasses in celebration!

Opening fluid connections, ~sharing(secret)water~

Emerging Visions visionary art ezine issue #13 has emerged.

http://emergingvisions.blogspot.com

Drink deeply.

share and enjoy!