I'm not sure if always being with Twin when growing up meant that I wasn't used to being alone. I know as a young adult that I didn't need to have much time by myself. We change though. Now I need time to be just me, alone. I need silence too. I think when I first read this poem I couldn't understand it, and didn't think I would ever understand it, but now I do.
Intimacy
I can be alone,
I know how to be alone.
There is a tacit understanding between my pencils
and the trees outside;
between the rain
and my luminous hair.
The tea is boiling:
my golden zone,
my pure burning amber.
I can be alone,
I know how to be alone.
By tea-light
I write.
Nina Cassian
(Tr from Romanian by
Eva Feiler and nina Cassian)
I can be alone,
I know how to be alone.
There is a tacit understanding between my pencils
and the trees outside;
between the rain
and my luminous hair.
The tea is boiling:
my golden zone,
my pure burning amber.
I can be alone,
I know how to be alone.
By tea-light
I write.
Nina Cassian
(Tr from Romanian by
Eva Feiler and nina Cassian)
How about you?
I am the opposite - I was an only child and thought I HAD to be alone, until K came into my life and I realised I couldn't stand not having him around and hate being on my own.
ReplyDeleteThat's really beautiful. I have 3 siblings, so I've always loved to be alone! I tend to get overwhelmed with too many people around.
ReplyDeleteLove this poem. I'm an only child so I've always known how to be alone, and I've always needed time by myself and silence. As much as I adore people, parties, activity, I find that sometimes the holidays get overwhelming if I can't carve out little spaces of time to be alone and quiet. Matter of fact as I write I am taking a little break from the Thanksgiving bustle, just me, the laptop and my tea. A nice restorative moment before we begin the evening activities.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely have to spend a certain amount of time every day on my own - it's the best way to detangle my head and let it stretch without interruption.
ReplyDeleteI positively relish being alone. Each day I have a couple of hours in the afternoon (during term-time) which are bliss. I have then re-charged the batteries enough to enjoy being with noisy people - its a balance.
ReplyDeleteI like to be admidst the bustle of family life, but I relish my solitude at times, too. Lovely poem.
ReplyDeleteSadly, or not, alone is my favorite place to be. I remember reading the definition between an extrovert and an introvert: an extrovert is energized by being with others, an introvert is recharged by being alone. If I don't have my alone time, I'm quite a crab. Perhpas that's in part due to teaching, where I'm surrounded by voices, by people, All Day. I love them, but when I'm home, I'm ready for a respite. I loved this poem, I love the photograph you posted with it. Set me there right now!
ReplyDelete