Inspired by this episode of the Scottish Poetry Library podcast, in which they talked about the experience of reading a full collection from front to back as opposed to 'playlisting' poetry, I decided to have a go at it. The guest on that show talked specifically of John Berryman's Dream Songs which I don't feel ready for in any way despite all the marvelous things he said about it so I decided to go with W.S. Merwin's In The Shadow of Sirius instead.
I'm about halfway through which admittedly may not be the ideal moment to discuss it, but I loved this one so much I wanted to put it up. Those last lines especially.
Youth by W.S. Merwin
Through all of youth I was looking for you
without knowing what I was looking for
or what to call you I think I did not
even know I was looking how would I
have known you when I saw you as I did
time after time when you appeared to me
as you did naked offering yourself
entirely at that moment and you let
me breathe you touch you taste you knowing
no more than I did and only when I
began to think of losing you did I
recognize you when you were already
part memory part distance remaining
mine in the ways that I learn to miss you
from what we cannot hold the stars are made
And I would urge anyone with an interest in poetry and a desire to take literary advice from an ex-dance major to check out the funny, charming, indie-spirited weekly(ish) podcast from Scottish Poetry Library. It actually reminds me of my favorite music blogs because they talk about poetry in a friendly, accessible, often humorous, this-is-what-it-means-to-me-and-this-is-what-I-was-doing-when-I-first-came-across-it kind of way. You can subscribe in iTunes or click here.
