Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Meeting at an Airport

Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos
Lillian Bassman



Meeting at an Airport

BY TAHA MUHAMMAD ALI
You asked me once,
on our way back
from the midmorning
trip to the spring:
“What do you hate,
and who do you love?”
And I answered,
from behind the eyelashes
of my surprise,
my blood rushing
like the shadow
cast by a cloud of starlings:
“I hate departure . . .
I love the spring
and the path to the spring,
and I worship the middle
hours of morning.”
And you laughed . . .
and the almond tree blossomed
and the thicket grew loud with nightingales.
. . . A question
now four decades old:
I salute that question’s answer;
and an answer
as old as your departure;
I salute that answer’s question . . .
And today,
it’s preposterous,
here we are at a friendly airport
by the slimmest of chances,
and we meet.
Ah, Lord!
we meet.
And here you are
asking—again,
it’s absolutely preposterous—
I recognized you
but you didn’t recognize me.
“Is it you?!”
But you wouldn’t believe it.
And suddenly
you burst out and asked:
“If you’re really you,
What do you hate
and who do you love?!”
And I answered—
my blood
fleeing the hall,
rushing in me
like the shadow
cast by a cloud of starlings:
“I hate departure,
and I love the spring,
and the path to the spring,
and I worship the middle
hours of morning.”
And you wept,
and flowers bowed their heads,
and doves in the silk of their sorrow stumbled.
Taha Muhammah Ali, “Meeting at an Airport” from So What. Copyright © 2006 by Taha Muhammah Ali. Reprinted by permission of Copper Canyon Press.


Source: So What (Copper Canyon Press, 2006)


5 comments:

Vesna said...

I love the spring and the path to the spring, I love your taste, I love the space you create..I love you my dear friend
xxx

diane said...

I love you too Vesna.
You have a way of coming in like an angel and shining light on my heart.
I've been talking to my family in St. Catherine's a lot these past two weeks and you've been on my mind.
Hugging you in my thoughts dear one!

Rosa said...

I confess this poem touched me inside... it is wanderful..

A big hug, dear Diane!:)

diane said...

Oh Rosa,
It's so good to see you!
You always make my heart dance...
I'm glad you like this dear!

big hugs,
diane

Anonymous said...

Octyl stearate is a such component, and these people enough, it's actually a element you'll [url=http://lfcream.com]lifecell reviews[/url] that have utilised the identical item you are thinking of getting. order lifecell Hydroxatone totally free-trial can be used to http://lfcream.com time when it comes to your basic safety.