I found this poem in amongst all the letters I was sorting through in the autumn. It's another one sent to me from my mother and fits with Friday's quote.
Black March by Stevie Smith
I have a friend
At the end
Of the world,
His name is a breath
Of fresh air.
He is dressed in
Grey chiffon. At least
I think it is chiffon.
It has a
Peculiar look, like smoke.
It wraps him around
It blows out of place
It conceals him
I have not seen his face,
But I have seen his eyes, they are
As pretty and bright
As raindrops on black twigs
In March, and heard him say.
I am a breath
Of fresh air for you, a change
By and by.
Black March I call him
Because of his eyes
Being like March raindrops
On black twigs
(such a pretty time when the sky
Behind black twigs can be seen
Stretched out in one
Uninterrupted
Cambridge blue as cold as snow.)
But this friend
Whatever his new names I give him
Is an old friend. He says:
Whatever names you give me
I am
A breath of fresh air,
A change for you.
Stevie Smith
What a beautiful poem and a lovely way to start the week, thank you! That really is March in a poem, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteIt makes me think of blackbirds, much in evidence here at the moment as they stake out their territorial claims.
Helen (gallimaufry)
What a lovely poem! Stevie Smith wrote one of my favourite poems (Not Waving But Drowning) and this reminds me I would really like to read more of her work.
ReplyDeleteHave a great week x
Helen - Glad it's started your week off well hope the week gets even better.
ReplyDeleteKirsty - Oh yes I like that poem too - it calms me if I'm feeling overworked. Please share some of your favourite poets/poems on your blog as we have some similar tastes (Wendy Cope, e.e. cummings) and I'd like to find some new favourite ones.
I love this poem. Thanks so much for sharing it with us. I always think I need to read more poetry, and this is another reminder of that. A wonderful poem for the beginning of March!
ReplyDeleteSunday - Somehow there is always so much to read that poems get pushed to the bottom of the list. Glad you like this one.
DeleteWhat a lovely poem. I find myself gravitating towards poetry when I am feeling stretched and over wrought. It is like a small breathing space.
ReplyDeleteLilac - I think you have just verbalised for me why I like poetry. Thank you it really is a space to breathe.
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