POETS’ CORNER: ROSEMERRY’S SECOND VALENTINE POEM

11 Feb POETS’ CORNER: ROSEMERRY’S SECOND VALENTINE POEM

Editor’s note: In the roll up to the Holy of Holies for lovers, Word Woman offers some sage advice with a velvet cudgel about accepting what is in our relationships. The moss heart is Rosemerry’s photo. She sees the shape of love everywhere.

Because it Hurts to See You Hurting

Forgive me. I have tried
to fix you. To be salve,
or more practically, glue.

As if you were not a man
but a leaky bucket
beneath the rain spout.

Or a cattail with its soft
creamy seeds spewing out.
I’ve abandoned my box

of tools. I no longer believe
in fixing you. My love,
the world is falling.

My love, nothing
is for sure. We
are rain water

in leaky buckets.
We are slowly
spilling seed.

My new practice—
to be here with you
as the field accepts

both rain and sun,
as the tree leaves
meet the wind.