Love Poem, by Audre Lorde
Speak earth and bless me with what is richest
make sky flow honey out of my hips
rigid as mountains
spread over a valley
carved out by the mouth of rain.And I knew when I entered her I was
high wind in her forests hollow
fingers whispering sound
honey flowed
from the split cup
impaled on a lance of tongues
on the tips of her breasts on her navel
and my breath
howling into her entrances
through lungs of pain.Greedy as herring-gulls
or a child
I swing out over the earth
over and over
again.
Us and them, sliced on and on
into ever thinner shards, until
the world is bloody ground glass.
Is that what you see when you
look at a meadow? No. Look
how many pieces to a tree.
Each blade of grass together
makes a cushion to lie down
and rest upon. You may enjoy
The flowers of the field without
picking them. Allow their faces
to turn to the sun, bees to sip.
Wherever you are in the land-
scape, know that each precious
brushstroke creates masterpiece.
My poem is loosely inspired by Audre Lord’s, “Love Poem.”
Anmol (alias HA) is today’s host for dVerse. Anmol says:
For today’s prompt, I invite you to take inspiration from the poets and poems shared here. You can write a poem about pride, gender fluidity, sexuality, protest, et al. or you can just pick a line from one of these verses and build your poem around it (duly quoting the poet and the poem). To make it even more open, you can also write about the continuing fight for equality and the realisation of the aspirations of the marginalised communities.
Tao Talk 
I love how you wrote your poem… to enjoy the flowers without picking them… let everyone find their own joy.
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Bjorn, thank you. Yes, indeed.
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Oh, Lisa, that’s a great poem. The movement from pain in division to joy in diversity is beautifully done. It’s subtle and thoughful and full of imagery.
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Sarah, thank you.
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It’s lovely how you have created this picture of a world where everyone can grow and just be — I like the idea of brushstrokes and masterpieces. Also, that blade of grass reminded me of Whitman. Such a good read! 🙂
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Very happy you enjoyed the poem, Anmol. Thank you.
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Whatever you are, in this world, know to belong to it, know it belongs to you, know you do not command it, know it does not command you.
The refulgence of your verse is not lost in me, Ms. Jade, for it feels like home.
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Joao-Maria, yes. ❤
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Nicely done Jade. (K l
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K, thank you.
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This is incredibly deep and profound! ❤️ I love; “Each blade of grass together makes a cushion to lie down and rest upon.” 🙂
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Thank you so much, Sanaa.
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There is a profond truth to your poem
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Suzanne, thank you. I think when anyone is excluded the picture cannot be completed.
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True!
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“know that each precious / brushstroke creates masterpiece” is a perfect conclusion.
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Thank you very much, Ken.
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Well done Lisa! How sad if the whole world were only trees and no sweet flowers!
Allow their faces
to turn to the sun, bees to sip.
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❤
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You took the essence of the Audre Lorde poem and created a sparkling poem of your own, Lisa, which shifts from the palpable violence of the first stanza to the beautiful meadow metaphor and its cushion of grass. The final stanza is a work of art.
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Kim thank you very much.
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“Each blade of grass together”, individual but one … lovely weaving or words!
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Thank you, Kate.
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What a wonderful poem! What a wonderful world it would be if we just allowed each and everyone just to BE!
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Thanks Beverly, yes ❤
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nice!
I love how you wrote your poem…
thanks for sharing us.
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Thank you and you are welcome.
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I love that last stanza–inclusive and a masterpiece! 🙂
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Thank you, Sascha 🙂
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You’re welcome! 🙂
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I love your poem, too, but I want it to have a title so I can call it by name!!
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A name didn’t come to me. What do you think would be a good name for it?
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The word and line that popped out at me were “allow” and “each blade of grass together.” The archaic meaning of “allowance” is tolerance or sufferance, so I love the word “Allow” or “Allowance” as a title. Or, perhaps, “Tolerance.” I also like “Each Blade” or “Each Blade of Grass” or “Each Blade of Grass Together.” This might set you to thinking.. Your poem deserves a title. xo
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Judy, thanks ❤
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A wise and beautiful poem. Thank you!
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Thank you, Merril, my pleasure.
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Beautiful. I love that you used the wholeness and unity of nature in your analogy. We do need “each precious brushstroke” to see and feel the whole picture of life.
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Thank you, Mish.
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This poem is itself such a beautiful little blade of grass. I agree with Sarah, subtle and intimate, let us all be part of the big picture, but beautiful and intact within ourselves as well. 🙂
also sensual and lovely
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Lona, thank you ❤
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Excellent poem,
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Sara, thank you.
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