(no subject)

[agiel.livejournal.com]

1835's recent post reminded me of
Variation On The Word Sleep
Margaret Atwood

I would like to watch you sleeping,
which may not happen.
I would like to watch you,
sleeping. I would like to sleep
with you, to enter
your sleep as its smooth dark wave
slides over my head

and walk with you through that lucent
wavering forest of bluegreen leaves
with its watery sun & three moons
towards the cave where you must descend,
towards your worst fear

I would like to give you the silver
branch, the small white flower, the one
word that will protect you
from the grief at the center
of your dream, from the grief
at the center I would like to follow
you up the long stairway
again & become
the boat that would row you back
carefully, a flame
in two cupped hands
to where your body lies
beside me, and as you enter
it as easily as breathing in

I would like to be the air
that inhabits you for a moment
only. I would like to be that unnoticed
& that necessary.

Comments

[softlyforgotten.livejournal.com]

oh wow. I love Margaret Atwood so much; thanks for posting. ♥

[magneticsyntax.livejournal.com]

thank you. <3

[irishpecas14.livejournal.com]

she is wonderful...

[liliths-nymph.livejournal.com]

one of my favourites.
i was reading this in a book only two hours ago.

x

[loki-fledermaus.livejournal.com]

This is great! Thank you!
Her poetry is very beautiful and whimsical.

[lec210.livejournal.com]

One of my all-time favorites. Thanks for posting it!

[kathryn0442.livejournal.com]

Aw I love this poem. Probably one of my absolute favorites.

Thanks for posting. That lifted my evening.