Long Poems on Pablo Neruda

#1: “I love you as certain dark things
are meant to be loved, in secret,    
between the shadow and the soul.”  
   
What would it take for me in deepest woods  
To find and bring you love that’s from my soul,  
Without a something vulner’ble to give,  
By making known the ‘allness’ you possess.  
   
The creatures will then seek me in your lair,  
Now I’m the one who hides within your arms.  
The moon must find a chink to let in light,  
Not even gods are priv’leged to come in.  
   
And so it does remain...

So many things
about you, nothing,    
you who are often    
in philosophy and theology.    
I close    
my eyes and see you.    
I wave    
my hands    
behind my head and unsee you.    
Unfeeling. I move    
through you,    
my frame framing you. Out    
of you, all things begin.    
The anticipation is great    
at this cusp.    
The astronomers    
love you, they bang on    
and on    
about nothing,    
the mathematicians    
go further than zero    
and call...

I love you as certain dark things are to be loved,
in secret, between the shadow and the soul

I love you as the plant that never blooms
but carries in itself the light of hidden flowers.’
 
                                  -Pablo Neruda
 
 
Deep in the hollow heart
a flame tries to be born;
it sparks and flickers,
it only thinks of you.
It knows it must be born
for you require its warmth.
It is as a star to those who gaze
at the sky, milky and wide.
It knows its life will be short ...

You must know there are times
I will not choose you over the poem;
nor your email, text or pouting silence
over the verse;

Bulging zippers will not sway me
nor swollen suitcases by the entrance.
If you want to be first in someone’s life
you must know, it can never be mine.

I'll never be the faithful wife
skinning vegetables at the sink;
a gimlet eye’d grandmother supervising,
starched apron and recipe splayed
submissively across the counter -
contents spooned carefully;
the roast, flayed,...