Françoise Foliot
I love the smooth inside of rose petals and tulips,
and in my youth, slaughtered many a bloom
in search of soft sensations. Cats, rabbits,
and puppies were safe from my tough loving
because I recognized they were alive.
Soft, touch, love. The smooth hard surfaces
of sculpture, pottery, architecture.
The rough edges of cut and uncut trees,
Alive. Clean clothes and cold water, wet hugs,
sunny wind, and waiting paper. Touch-love.
Inside and out, I love to touch. Sense and
spirit both love touch. In me, in tree, beside
flowers and streams, streets and thruway bridges:
the rumbles and ahs, stillnesses and sounds
all touch and speak in their own ways
when unthreatened. I love humans in sense
and spirit, leaving drama for theatre.
I love theatre, where humans can slaughter
with illusion, not reality. Soft
and sharp sensations play out on the stage.
For Mary's prompt "I LOVE" at the blog What's Going On?
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© 2019 Susan L. Chast
"Inside and out, I love to touch." - feeling, with intensity, the soft and sharp sensations - truly, what else is living? Love this one, Susan.
ReplyDeleteYour poem resonated with me, Susan, especially the ‘smooth inside of rose petals and tulips’, which reminds me of picking up petals in my grandfather’s garden. My favourite lines:
ReplyDelete‘…The smooth hard surfaces
of sculpture, pottery, architecture.
The rough edges of cut and uncut trees,
Alive. Clean clothes and cold water, wet hugs,
sunny wind, and waiting paper. Touch-love.’
Interesting commentary on "touch", the underrated sense. I especially love your last stanza. Great job here with the prompt!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE all of the sensory images you have invoked in your beautiful poem, Susan. The touches of both sense and spirit, the sunny wind, the rumbles and ahs, etc. And I sighed at the last stanza -- "theatre, where humans can slaughter with illusion, not reality." Yes, oh yes!
ReplyDelete"when unthreatened" such delicate and powerful words! How this world yearns to live "unthreatened" and be in love with all. We hope to live in such deep sense of love. Beautiful.
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful collection of soft touches, loving so many lovely experiences. I especially love the touch of trees and sunny wind. A wonderful poem, Susan! It is especially good to be thinking of such positive loves to offset so much that is dark in the world.
ReplyDeleteSusan,
ReplyDeletevivid and tactile in many aspects of your love and observations of nature's best in particular. So many simple things that can bring immense pleasure into one's life...
So moving this ache, desire and love of touch.. you've expressed all beautifully - might it not be too punny - to truly say I am touched!
ReplyDeleteThis is fabulous, Susan. I am a tactile person myself. Soft clothes, soft blankets are a must. Humans need touch and you represent that so beautifully here.
ReplyDelete