After Opening The New York Times I Wonder How to Write a Poem about Love by Camille T. Dungy
After Opening The New York Times I Wonder How to Write a Poem about Love
Camille T. DungyTo love like God can love, sometimes.
Before the kettle boils to a whistle, quiet. Quiet
that is lost on me, waiting as I am
for an alarm. The sort of things I notice:
the bay over redbud blossoms, mountains
over magnolia blooms. There is always something
starting somewhere, and I have lost ambition
to look into the details. Shame fits comfortably
as my best skirt, and what can I do
but walk around in that habit? Turn the page.
Turn another page. This was meant to be
about love. Now there is nothing left but this.
endnotes
This poem appeared in Smith Blue by Camille T. Dungy, published by Southern Illinois University Press, 2011. Shared here with profound gratitude.
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