Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Questions of Identity

1. Who are you and whom do you love?  That's what MarinaSofia asked us at dVerse.  

I love my family and friends, of course,
and I love things unseen, spirits and souls, Creator
I love trees and flowers, oceans,
skies, rocks and autumn,
new snow – but not in March,
fresh spring mornings
sunsets and sunrises all year long.
I love horses, dogs, cats,
and my particular dogs and cats,
Otis, Rusty, Emma, Maggie, Chevy, Lars, Dante, Frank
and all the others.
(Yes, I know I didn't list the people.  Don't read too much into that)
I love elephants,
just about all mammals,
lovely snakes and reptiles,
and flying and travel,
drawing and painting,
music – but not all music,
the smell of fresh bread, cinnamon, lilacs,
solid things,
and also liquid
and ethereal things.
I love the smell of new, clean babies.
I love stars
and I love the blue-black night
that surrounds them,
and I love the moon especially.
And I love tiny frogs and fireflies,
and laying on a big, flat rock after dark
on a cool summer night
and feeling the warmth radiating from it,
warming me though.
I love the smell of wood smoke,
the feel of flannel against my skin,
 and cashmere and silk for that matter.
I love the way little children draw,
before they have been taught
that drawing is hard.
And I love riding very fast
on a strong, dark horse,
the feel of the reins in my hands,
saddle leather against my legs,
 and the motion beneath me.
And I love baths,
very warm steamy baths.
I love Sunday mornings
in bed with strong coffee
and the crossword,
newspaper pages scattered
across the bed,
sun streaming in.
I love the blues and greens of the ocean,
and color…vivid, soft, psychedelic, muted,
and black and white,
and form and line and shadows…
I love shadows.
And I love very cold beer,
and dry red wine
and silver earrings
and “I am not really a waitress” nail polish,
and men,
I do love men.
And women,
and men in kilts,
and men in bowties,
because bowties are cool.
I love umbrellas – red umbrellas,
and rain and thunder and lightning…
I love starting.
I love books and reading and writing
and words.  I am in love with words.
And trains… I love trains,
and toast, and dragons and…

Well, I've sort of gone off the rails here, haven't I? I can’t seem to get past who and what I love in the questions of identity.  There is just so very much cool and lovable stuff in this amazing universe!  And I love that you've read this, even though it's not exactly a poem but more of a list.  


29 comments:

  1. So much to love indeed and you sure love a ton haha

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  2. Bowties ARE cool! As are men in kilts! I love this, no pun intended! How nice to learn of the many things that you hold dear!

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    1. Haha - Ginny I knew you would like the bowties! My Doctor Who pal.

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  3. full of love, which is a very good place to be. And riding a fast horse is true delight!

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  4. ha. i would def rock a kilt. i tried to find one last year to wear to school. lol. cool to define yourself by what you love....

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    1. Thanks Brian. There are just some many really, really wonderful things in the universe.

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  5. smiles... i love trains as well... and the smell of fresh baked bread...my daughter just baked one yesterday...hmmm.... a warm bath after a long day out is wonderful... this reads like a collage and in the reading makes visible who you are...cool

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  6. This was addictive. I couldn't stop reading, and wondering what was next! Looking forward to checking out more of your blog. :)

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  7. The intensity, and the small contradictions, the little wisdoms embedded of children loving to draw before they know it's difficult.. I could almost see how you would read this with intensity.

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    1. Thank you Bjorn. That bit about the kids' drawing could, and should, be a poem itself.

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  8. grins - lots to love, Mary ~

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    1. Yes! That's the idea, there is so much to love! :o)

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  9. Identity translated through what you experience... A delightfully sensory response Mary - I would have been quite happy for you to go on and on... With Best Wishes Scott

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    1. Hahaha - thanks Scott! I thought I went on too long already. Cheers!

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  10. "I love trains,
    and toast, and dragons and…" Love this happy poem.

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    1. Thanks Debi! I write plenty of unhappy ones too, but sometimes happy is ok.

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  11. We are a mosaic made up of all the things we love. I love this charming, bubbling, happy list! (And I love many of the same things). Beautifully expressed!
    I wonder, if I'd asked you what do you NOT love, would this have been a shorter poem?

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    1. Haha - interesting. Yes, it would have been shorter I think. I know I have used the word "love" in it's broadest sense. I started to make this list then move on to your next 3 questions, but I couldn't seem to finish this one!

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  12. This is such an incredibly joyful piece! This completely made me smile. And your line "new snow – but not in March" made me laugh. Totally with you on not liking new snow in March!

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    1. It was a joyful process writing it. I think we sometimes don't spend enough time thinking about the things we love. And, glad the March bit gave you a chuckle.

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  13. Well this was a lovely list poems of things and people you love ~ Enjoyed getting to know more of you ~

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  14. Reading this made me smile and feel so good - such a bounty of things to love!!!!! And I love that you have so many dogs. In fact, I am envious! I need more

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    1. Thank you Sherry - I have to tell you I've had as many as three dogs at a time, but right now Otis is my only one.

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  15. Turns out we love many of the same things! :-)

    Greetings from London.

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  16. Ah, very good! And I love London too!

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