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Friday, October 21, 2011

For an Amorous Lady


Each Friday we provide the link to the blogger who is hosting a celebration of poetry around the blogosphere. At that site you can find the links to the many other blogs that are posting poems (new and old), discussions of poems, and reviews of poetry books. It’s also a great way to explore the internet.

Enjoy the festivities!

The host this week is Jama Rattigan.

You can visit her here at Jama's Alphabet Soup, an eclectic feast of food, fiction and folderol.


(Enchanted Owl by Kenojuac Ashevak, born in 1927 on
the southern coast of Baffin Island, Canada; she is one
of the most accomplished modern Inuit artists)

The most unexpected metaphor can be transformed into a loving compliment, as in this sonnet.

FOR AN AMOROUS LADY

“Most mammals like caresses, in the sense in which we usually take the word, whereas other creatures, even tame snakes, prefer giving to receiving them.” ~ from a Natural History book

The pensive gnu, the staid aardvark,
Accept caresses in the dark;
The bear, equipped with paw and snout,
Would rather take than dish it out.
But snakes, both poisonous and garter,
In love are never known to barter;
The worm, though dank, is sensitive:
His noble nature bids him give.

But you, my dearest, have a soul
Encompassing fish, flesh, and fowl.
When amorous arts we would pursue,
You can, with pleasure, bill or coo.
You are, in truth, one in a million,
At once mammalian and reptilian.

~ Theodore Roethke (1908-1963), American poet

6 comments:

GatheringBooks said...

I never thought I could use aardvark in a sentence - much less in poetry. Now this is a gem. :) Love the image as well. :)

Robyn Hood Black said...

Sonnets are popping up on Poetry Friday today! Thank you for sharing this Roethke one, which is terribly fun.

Robyn Hood Black said...

PS - and thank you for sharing the art, too, which DOES seem enchanted!

jama said...

*fans self*

Quite amorous indeed, in so many unexpected ways. Keep the snakes away from me, though . . .

I'm Jet . . . said...

Thanks for stopping by and commenting on our Frost poem, Maria. We like it that you like our blog.

I like yours, too. This is a great poem -- and like the Frost poem to you -- this is a new one to me.

It made me laugh!

Janet

Ruth said...

This is wonderful! I have a Roethke book on my shelf -- I guess I need to take it down and take a look!