Poetry Slam

About 5 years ago, a blogger began a virtual poetry slam on February 2nd. Many, many, many poets of the blogosphere posted original or favorite works and I am joining them with a salute to the muse. One is a top ten from Mary Oliver and the bonus poem is a rather smarmy love poem.

Wild Geese

You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
For a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
Tell me about your despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting --
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.

The Parts Know

I didn’t need you

I could buy my life

Or borrow it

From the net or facebook

I thought I could

I didn’t need you

Or I thought I didn’t

Wouldn’t, couldn’t, didn’t

Need you

I thought I didn’t

My skin wanted skin

Your skin

It wanted your breath

When you spoke

Wafting against my cheek

My nose wanted scent

Yours,

Left behind on the towel

Or the pillow

Or on me

My ears wanted music

Your laugh

Or the other rumbles you make

Humming, talking, swearing

Vibrating those tiny bones

I didn’t think I

needed you

I didn’t . . .

but my parts

Knew they did