Dear Amazement

[joel]

Death’s intermittent quiet, like the drift
of wheezed persistence patient loves endure
as rhythmical good-byes: so quiet ease
soft life-sounds all around my love. I hush
myself with pulse relaxed and breath withheld,
with eyelids pulled for drapey shade; I hear
the almost full completeness of the earth
sound undiminished and not so changed of worth
were I to stripe my voice with silence. Dear
Amazement: All my certainties dispelled
themselves when first they heard you like a rush
that sounds perhaps alone upon a breeze
among the reeds but now and then, but pure
and powerful when soft its song-winds lift.

[Lightning Rod]

joel,
you have such instinctive metrics
it's a joy to read
(the subject of effortlessness come to mind)

I've been reading you for what? two years now
and at first I thought that you were too formalized
now I realize that you are one of those rare people like Shakespeare
who just can't help it

[joel]

too formalized and just can't help it

ain't that the truth. thanks, Lrod--i have really enjoyed participating in these conversations. i wouldn't discount my anal-ness. i hope one day to move beyond it, but i'm just a kid, yo--i haven't pulled in enough life to break outta the molds yet. and on top of it, i'm a nerd of a kid. i tend to think in thoughts iambic. (i got/get picked on a lot so thanks for the kind words, really; nice to have a safe and welcome place to raise a voice.)

[Lightning Rod]

"nice to have a place to raise a voice"

and you have a voice, my friend
and a strong one (fer a nerd)

[mnaz]

Amazement, or wonder... and love.

can take one quite far... and back.

[Perdida]

"I hush
myself with pulse relaxed and breath withheld,
with eyelids pulled for drapey shade; I hear
the almost full completeness of the earth
sound undiminished and not so changed of worth
were I to stripe my voice with silence. Dear
Amazement: All my certainties dispelled
themselves when first they heard you like a rush
that sounds perhaps alone upon a breeze
among the reeds but now and then"

omg, collapse me why don't ya, this is just wondermous. Pure beauty. I find myself looking out for your work.

Sighs

P

[joel]

you're very kind, P, and i thank you. personally, as the summer progresses at camp with the kids down in the shenandoah, i look out for black widows and rattlers. but really, thanks for your encouragement.