Death is nothing without its escort Life,
I see that now. And Sorrow needs Joy.
These four have the center of the dance floor.
They waltz with graceful turns—sweeping, floating—
and we cannot take our eyes off of them:
Death in deep tones and Life in light colors,
Sorrow and Joy radiant in florals.
We still to watch, thinking to emulate
their steps, their pleasure and their abandonment.
They must be in love. They anticipate each change.
Absorbed in closeness, they don’t notice us.
It’s a splendid performance. We applaud.
But Life and Death, Sorrow and Joy don’t stop
to bow. We sway to their rhythm and dance.
Posted for Sherry's prompt "In Celebration of Poetry Month - an Open Link" at What's Going On?
I love the idea of these four as dancers who dont stop dancing...we sway to their rhythm. Wonderful. Your book is wonderful. On my shelf.
ReplyDeleteThis is perfection, Susan, from the first word to the last.
ReplyDeleteSorrow and Joy radiant in florals - to know and see both together is most clarifying... and I too loved the book...brilliant poems.
ReplyDeleteLife is a dance which we all must learn Really is on the spot with his. Great poem
ReplyDeleteI know this dance so well. There's been a lot of it these past few years. Brilliant writing
ReplyDeleteSo beautiful and true. You remind me of Tagore in this poem. His philosophy was acceptance of all. In one of his songs he sings like this :
ReplyDeleteSmile-tears like diamond-emerald
swing upon the temple.
In stirring rhythms
Good-Evil pirouette in ensemble.
Dances Birth, dances Death
hand in hand;
in constant spiral
one, two, three and three, two, one.
The translation is mine and so sorry I couldn't do justice to his wonderful song. It's impossible to translate him. Sigh.