poem: Written for a Living Poet 6: To Breathe in Compassion

There was a concept I learned;

a college Medieval Lit course

of all places. The thread of

thought: the remembrance

of something from the past, a

sight, a place, a scent, sensation;

Something so beautiful,

it makes the soul weep to

recall it, it makes the being

long for it in a real and physical

and tangible way.

Something so fragile and fair

and vulnerable, it cannot even

be determined if it ever even

existed in the first place, or if

it was designed from our collective

cultural memories, dreams, desires.

We can all imagine such a place;

it is why we read Tolkien. What

we cannot do for ourselves, most

of us, is: arrange a visit. Walk its

forests, see its halls, listen to its

waters, feel its embraces, live its

breathing joy.

For this, we need those who can:

enter at will, leave footprints. Recall

sights, place your hand over its heart

respire with its energy, and survive.

Put on the cloak the world needs you

to wear when you come back, but

radiating something of light from the

places we all wish we could visit

for healing.

If we would learn the basics

of horror, we study Lovecraft.

To make sense of, to breathe,

to live:

kindness, compassion,

empathy- we study you.

for emma, gently

Reviews

[Ken Simm.]

To flow as this and still have the dichotomy to play with word meanings (I cite Love/craft as one particular example) is truly high art. Also as it is an invocation to another poet it exudes its own strength and that makes it all the more beautiful and extraordinary.

[Marie Anzalone]

Thank you very much, Ken, for your review and your patience with my delincuency. I am finding rebirth as difficult as the descent into the dark night was. Nothing feels familiar here... trying to slowly bring back what serves me after letting pretty much everything go, that I knew. As for the subject of this piece, I think that we both know very well how extraordinary of a poet this individual is. Words for people like that- I think they write themselves, sometimes.

[Rick Puetter]

Vivid insight into what written art can do: transport, inspire, teach, awaken people to life. Nicely penned, Marie. Thanks for reminding us.

Best regards,

Rick

[Marie Anzalone]

Rick, so wonderful to see you on my page. I would echo my note to Ken, below, about my lack of presence here. I am so glad that this piece moved you. Please accept a hug from down south. Thanks for stoppong by.

[Rick Puetter]

My pleasure. Always good to read you, Marie.

[Gypsy Warrior Queen]

This is a beautiful interpretation for the living poet. It is written with and reveals great understanding and compassion! AMAZING!

[Marie Anzalone]

thank you very much Queenie, for your kind words and review. Blessings.

[LJW]

I do not know Emma. But your description of her, when you meet a soul like that so filled with light....you remember. You know.

Beautiful.

[Marie Anzalone]

LJ, she is a warm, big-hearted soul, exactly as you mention and point out. Nice to see your words on my page. Thanks for ALL your encouragement. It has been sincerely apreciated.

[MerylDivya]

every stanza is meaninful and powerfully written. you are talented indeed.

[Marie Anzalone]

Thank you very much for stopping by to visit, Divya. You rthoughts and comments are appreciated :-)

[emmajoy]

Oh my! Pausing.... okay, tearing up, searching fora tissue.

.. Something so fragile and fair.. and vulnerable, it cannot even.. be determined if it ever even.. existed in the first place, or if.. it was designed form our collective.. cultural memories, dreams, desires. '

Rachael, thank you for such an intensely beautiful poem; importantly it's not about me but OF me and a way of being best i can. Near total acceptance of the not so obvious, more fragile things in our world isn't a sin, nor a

Yours words - dear long time friend. are more than more. Don't ever change.

Just thought of a saying.. something like: We are everywhere we've ever been, every person we've ever met, every emotion we've ever felt.. and yet, still self.

[Marie Anzalone]

As I told a few other reviewers on this ries, I considered each piece an exercise where I tried to get into the poet's style, form, values, thoughts. It was an emlightening and fulfilling exercise for me. I wrote for you, Vesa, hde rushin, kortas, Diego, and Linda. I have written before for others, and I always enjoy it. I have a few others to add to the series before I am done. It warms my heart to no end that my words moved you, and that you understood them in exactly the way that they were intended. and the wquote you shared was beautiful and perfect and one that I will always remember. Thank you for the friendship and for being such an inspiration to so many of us.

[Marie Anzalone]

make that series*** darned signal is eating my letters again as I type

[emmajoy]

A teeny blip couldn't mar anything you write, dear friend.. ever. (You)

[Tree]

Another well written piece, Raquelita. You can tell by how penetrating your expression of her compassion is, that what you've written comes from the heart. Loved how you mirrored Lovecraft, with Emma's compassion. Maybe because in my work I tear things down / and apart, I have come to have a fondness for writers who write from a place of kindness, and healing. I learn from them too.

Thank you for sharing this tribute with us.

Diego

[Marie Anzalone]

Thank you, Diego, for the review and kind words. Many of us lady writers- myself included- have made the mistake of trying to adopt a man's perspective into our writing. Tough, bullet-laden, etc. I heard Dr. Christianne Northrup speak at a conference on women's courage back in 2008, and she said something that I never forgot: she said the power of men is knowing what is worth dying for; but the power of women is knowing what is worht living for.

I wonder if your deconstruction style (and I agree perfectly with your assessment) and emma's complete integration/ holistic style, say anything about those two profound differences in general?

I myself havetoned down and tried to be more androgynous writer myself, but I try to write of things close to the heart and mind and life. I am finding myself almost chameleon-like in my application as I try different things on. Not sure if I ever even developed a true style of my own, to be honest.

It is like this: when you read one of Emily's pieces, you know it was her. Ditto dana, emma, LJW, yourself. I am not sure one can say the same of me. One of the reasons I found this self-imposed exercise of mine so significant for me. I became the mirror. I pride myslef sometimes on being a compassionate person (maybe more empathetic than compassionate), but this writer shows me how far I have yet to go.

I greatly appreciate your insight here.

-raquelita

[Tree]

You know, when I look at my body of work, all the poems I've been editing and chronologically organizing, the ones I'm most proud of are the poems that came from a place of peace, of gentle and loving refelction. Of pure imagination... I know what type of poet I will one day become the writer I will one day be. But I believe I still have some demons I need to flush out:)

Again, R. I admire what you are doing.

[Marie Anzalone]

we all have demons, my dear Poet. The trick is to forgive ourselves for them, and to make them part of the fabric of the words we weave. The three lady writersI featured draw a road map of vulnerability in exactly how to do that.

[Emily B]

She has so much of grace, these words paint a shining, singing tribute

[Marie Anzalone]

thank you Emily, I am glad that you think so. I was not sure that I got this one right- your validation helps greatly.