Thursday, June 30, 2016

Rosemary Nissen-Wade #30.2 (and farewell): 30 Days of Delight


30 Days of Delight
To my companions at Project 366

Every morning
I bring my coffee
and come to the feast,
where I linger.

I meet beauty – my reason
for this whole lifelong
engagement with poetry,
and passion for visual art.

I find quirkiness, laughter,
deep thought
and deeper feelings –
great nourishment.

Oh, I like
poems to get my teeth into,
to devour in gulps, or to savour;
tasty, piquant images,
and others that slake thirst.

So I’m sorry to leave you, and
like Penelope (who just said goodbye)
after 30 days of making poems,
I notice I’m tired. It’s surprising.

‘Writing begets writing’
I said at the outset.
And so it has been. A pouring.
More than one a day.

A delight. A fervour.
(Not taking anything out
of my life – oh, except housework
and exercise. Adding this in.)

I realise now, it must have taken
invisible reserves of energy.
Would persistence have increased
fatigue or stamina? I won’t know.

‘It is never any use
dwelling on goodbyes,’
a wise person, whose name
I’m too lazy to look up now, said.

‘It is not the being together
it prolongs. It is the parting.’ Yes.
The time has come to say goodbye.
And so, my sweets, let us part.

I’ll never grow too old to dream;
still your art will live in my heart.
(Now that I’ve got you all weepy –
don’t panic, I’ll be lurking and reading.)

11 comments:

  1. yes, you got me weepy - it's no use begging you to stay, is it, Rosemary?

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    1. Alas no, but thanks for the thought. I really do need to get on with some other things in my life (many of them poetic) and I was only a guest for a month, so am making way for new guests now.

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  2. Glad you got a 'fervour', Rosemary!

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  3. It's been wonderful, hasn't it? So many gifts - new poems, new friends. x

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  4. I hope you saw my question re your previous poem. I have enjoyed rereading your work Rosemary, and nice to know some of the lurkers.

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    1. I had to go out after posting this poem, but have seen and answered it now.

      Dear Susan, we've both been 'around the traps' forever, and I somehow had not realised I haven't actually read very much of your work – and that a long time ago. It has been a revelation and a joy to rediscover you here and realise what a BEAUTIFUL poet you are.

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  5. Such a beautiful poem Rosemary. Farewell to you and please drop in again.

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  6. What a wonderful poem, thank you so much, Rosemary. It was so lovely to meet you here. Though it's not the first time I've read and enjoyed your work, of course. I'll think of you when I drive through Murwillumbah!

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    Replies
    1. I'm afraid I avoid driving to Byron these days – too much like the Big Smoke! But will think of you anyway, just down the road there. :-)

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