Living Hungry After -- Jack Gilbert

[aimlesswanderer.livejournal.com]

Living Hungry After
by Jack Gilbert

The water nymphs who came to Poseidon
explained how little they desired to couple
with the gods. Except to find out
whether it was different, whether there was
a fresh world, another dimension in their loins.
In the old Pittsburgh we dreamed of a city
where women read Proust in the original French,
and wondered whether we would cross over
into a different joy if we paid a call girl
a thousand dollars for a night. Or an hour.
Would it be different in kind or only
tricks and apparatus? I worried that a great
love might make everything else an exile.
It turned out that being together
at twilight in the olive groves of Umbria
did, indeed, measure everything after that.

Comments

Such a sophisticated pleasure to read

[mirmusing.livejournal.com]

Thank you for sharing it. M

Re: Such a sophisticated pleasure to read

[aimlesswanderer.livejournal.com]

You are welcome. The poem is about Gianna Gelmetti, Gilbert's "first great love" (as described in his Paris Reviews Interviews), whom he met while wandering in Italy. He has written some beautiful poems about Gianna. I'll try to post more in the next few days.

-H

[catpaws.livejournal.com]

I adore the way its constructed, seems quite well pre-planned. Thanks for sharing.

[aimlesswanderer.livejournal.com]

You are welcome. The poem is about Gianna Gelmetti, Gilbert's "first great love" (as described in his Paris Reviews Interviews), whom he met while wandering in Italy. He has written some beautiful poems about Gianna. I'll try to post more in the next few days.

-H

[catpaws.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the info, I will be definitely looking forward to more.

[keonaa.livejournal.com]

It's beautiful!