Saturday, July 3, 2010

i knew a woman

i knew a woman, lovely in her bones,
when small birds sighed, she would sigh back at them;
ah, when she moved, she moved more ways than one:
the shapes a bright container can contain!

la moisson charles-françois daubigny

she taught me turn, and counter-turn, and stand;
she taught me touch, that undulant white skin:

boote auf der oise charles-françois daubigny

(she moved in circles, and those circles moved.)
let seed be grass, and grass turn into hay:
i'm martyr to a motion not my own;
what's freedom for? to know eternity.
i swear she cast a shadow white as stone.
but who would count eternity in days?
these old bones live to learn her wanton ways:
(i measure time by how a body sways.)

bords de l'oise ou le pêcheur charles-françois daubigny

all text excerpted from theodore rothke's "i knew a woman"

3 comments:

Acornmoon said...

I need to read more of Theodore Rothke!

Valerianna said...

Wonderful Rothke... and I am mindful that you are off and riding!

Rachel Fenton said...

I missed so much - gorgeous.