Poem

[mamculuna]

CROSSROADS

Joyce Sutphen

The second half of my life will be black
to the white rind of the old and fading moon.
The second half of my life will be water
over the cracked floor of these desert years.
I will land on my feet this time,
knowing at least two languages and who
my friends are. I will dress for the
occasion, and my hair shall be
Whatever color I please.
Everyone will go on celebrating the old
birthday, counting the years as usual,
but I will count myself new from this
inception, this imprint of my own desire.

The second half of my life will be swift,
past leaning fenceposts, a gravel shoulder,
asphalt tickets, the beckon of open road.
The second half of my life will be wide-eyed,
fingers shifting through fine sands,
arms loose at my sides, wandering feet.
There will be new dreams every night,
and the drapes will never be closed.
I will toss my string of keys into a deep
well and old letters into the grate.

The second half of my life will be ice
breaking up on the river, rain
soaking the fields, a hand
held out, a fire,
and smoke going
upward, always.

Comments

That is beautiful

[ann1962]

Thank you for posting this.

I love the use of the word rind. My favorite kinds of poetry are the ones that use very visual images to tell the story. The words are just the brush strokes to create the image. Each word has so many meanings tied to it that the levels just reveal.

Very nice.

Re: That is beautiful

[mamculuna.livejournal.com]

Glad you liked it--I didn't know about her until I found this. She is very visual, indeed.

Thank you!

[an-old-one.livejournal.com]

I really needed to see this poem today. (Yep, it's ALL. ABOUT. ME. lol)

BTW, did you see Get Fuzzy, today? Absolutely hilarious. Go, Satchel!

:o)

Re: Thank you!

[mamculuna.livejournal.com]

Of course it's about you! That's why we read each other's posts, right--to see how what's about me is about you...

Indeed, loved Get Fuzzy. Bucky may be amoral but Satch is so sweet and dumb and--correct!

[altaego.livejournal.com]

I have an idea of myself in 10 years, 50 and totally actualized.

[mamculuna.livejournal.com]

Well, it does get better. Can't promise about the "totally" part! Maybe you'll practice more than I did, though.

[angeyja.livejournal.com]

Thank you. That was lovely to read.

[mamculuna.livejournal.com]

This poet was a good discovery. Glad you liked her.

[haytanbello.livejournal.com]

"Since only death is certain, and the time of death uncertain, what should I do?"

--A meditation suggested by Stephen Batchelor