CELEBRATE POETRY WITH THE HERETIK! Two poems today by Joe Ivory Mattingly

All of us are
Islands washed

By a kind, but
Jealous sea.

Rise up
From the waves.

Enjoy the
Sky’s embrace.

But remember:
You belong to me.

"Requiem"
Joe Ivory Mattingly

 

 

If anything is
To be given,

A part must
Always remain.

Roots must stay
In the ground

So the flower
Can reach the sky.

"The Debt Forgiven"
Joe Ivory Mattingly

ABOUT THE POEMS ABOVE: "Requiem" is dedicated to Amanda at Pandagon and to Leah at Corrente, each of whom inspires me every day with how much soul can be poured on a keyboard.  What we hold onto and what we give away make us who we are.  "The Debt Forgiven" is dedicated to Lauren and to Vicki as they take steps on their journeys.

ABOUT THE COMMENTS OPEN THREAD: please feel free to use the comments section to point out the way to discovered and yet to be found poets you love.  A part of a poem with a link is okay, the whole poem even better.  Songs that touch the heart, whatever you like. 

Comments

[Missouri Mule]

Thank you dear heart. Oy the journey. Not the destination.

[blondesense Liz]

Those were just beautiful poems, heretik. You are quite talented. And just what is it that you do for a living besides suck up? Bandwidth that is. Image bandwidth I mean.

I agree that the women you pay tribute to are amazing. I have been a huge fan of Amanda for quite some time. She stirs my activist feminist side and her insights are so right on. She always finds the right way to attack a situation.. well at least for me. Vicki is a fucking gem. We say that she is better than William Faulkner. She is, isn't she? She should be writing books. I am going to be her agent. yeah. that's the ticket. Leah and Lauren are superb as well.

and where is the pissed off patricia birthday poem? You couldn't do any better than what I did at blondesense, right? Nothing says birthday like a spanish novella, does it?

Well my heretik of Lawn Guyland, the mouth of hell, keep on keeping on. get out there and enjoy this hellish weather we are having here. Stamp on the damn flowers. They look too nice! mwahahahahaha. They are all yellow and match my hair!

[Missouri Mule]

Now stop it Lizzy Mae or my ego will grow to the size of my large ta ta's and Hellhound's heart!

[des]

One of too many favs:

o not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

-dylan thomas

[Lauren]

I haven't had a poem written for me since some kid wrote me a death metal love poem and delivered it stapled to his head.

Not kidding.

My favorite poem is Nikki Giovanni's "Balances."

in life
one is always
balancing

like we juggle our mothers
against our fathers

or one teacher
against another
(only to balance our grade average)

3 grains of salt
to one ounce truth

our sweet black essence
or the funky honkie down the street

and lately i've been wondering
if you're trying to tell me something

we used to talk all night
and do things alone together

and i've begun
(as a reaction to a feeling)
to balance
the pleasure of lonliness
against the pain
of loving you