Reading Someone Else’s Love Poems by Kate Light
Reading Someone Else's Love Poems
Kate Lightis, after all, all we’ve ever done
for centuries—except write them—but what
a strange thing it is, after all, rose-cheeks and sun-
hair and lips, and underarms, and that little gut
I love to nuzzle on, soft under-belly—oops—
that wasn’t what I meant to talk about;
ever since handkerchiefs fell, and hoop-
skirts around ankles swirled
and smiled, lovers have dreamed their loves upon
the pages, courted and schemed and twirled
and styled, hoping that once they’d unfurled their down-
deep longing, they would have their prize—
not the songs of love, but love beneath disguise.
MARGINALIA
Reading a poem, when all I want to do is kiss you.
KEEP READING
SHARED WITH GRATITUDE
This poem appeared in The Laws of Falling Bodies by Kate Light, published by Story Line Press, 1997. (Available on: Amazon • Bookshop)
DESCRIPTION
“Co-winner of the Nicholas Roerich Poetry Prize for 1997, The Laws of Falling Bodies introduces Kate Light. Many of Light’s poem’s are tributes to the great dancers and musicians of the past: Graham, Duncan, Tchaikovsky, Chopin. “Who could she turn to — There was no answer / but to move in measure, like a dancer.” This debut includes sonnets, villanelles, and other surprising, lively, innovative forms. An important feminist debut in the new formalist tradition.” (Source)
ABOUT KATE LIGHT
Kate Light’s works include three previous volumes of poetry: Gravity’s Dream (winner of the Donald Justice Award, 2006), Open Slowly (Zoo Press, 2003), and The Laws of Falling Bodies (winner of the Nicholas Roerich Prize, 1997). Her poetry has appeared in the Paris Review, the Hudson Review, Washington Post Book World, Feminist Studies, the Dark Horse, Mezzo-Camin, the Formalist, Evansville Review, New York Sun, the anthologies Western Wind, Villanelles, Obsession:… (more)
Read more poems by Kate Light • Find books by this poet on Amazon • Bookshop • Or view my library
ENDNOTES
- Explore other works in pursuit of: desire • language • irony • Or browse the index
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