Dream of a City; poem for the day

landscape-figure-japan-house-temple-lake-trees-herons-lily-moon-sky-nightBACK to the City of Culture funded anthology, Dream of a City, that brings together international, national and local poets between turquoise sheets.

Fed up with this talk of unseasonal weather, I’ve landed on Maeve Kelly’s ‘That Old Love Again’ to set the cat among the pigeons – underfed by snowy ground as we are. The poet is categoric and lofty as to what love is and, oh crumbs, does she lay it out, how tinny and deluded all else.

 

That Old Love Again

Love is a great patience,/ It is a long waiting,/ An unblossoming tree/ Reaching out to light.

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What young men call love/ It is a sad substitute,/ All aches and pains and groans,/ Guitar playing to moons.

When a maiden loves/ It is a self deceit,/ A vanity adorned with foolish dreams.

When psalmists sing,/ Worshipping with words,/ They but praise God,/ Beauty and love,/ Or sing for the sweet sound/ Their voices make.

Love is a great patience, / It is a long waiting,/ An unblossoming tree/ Reaching out to light.

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