Parts of Poems
- wallacejnichols
- April 17, 2007
Two thoughts and pieces of a poem:
April 1992 Journal page
I’ve always written about the ocean, the sea, nature, places near the sea as if they were a lover, a person, a dear friend. In this case after nearly drowning in the surf near Cape Hatteras.
Neruda personified the sea so well in his poems. I think that’s why I like his stuff, and keep going back to the same lines over again.
Looking back on it, I really like that one line I wrote. It makes me smile at the wily and naively rebellious 25 year old who wrote it:
“Do what’s burning you and to hell with the others.”
I’ve done that, in a way, quietly. Perhaps less abrasively than those words would suggest, but that spirit is alive.
It's interesting to look back on one's life/self/words and find familiarity, a kindred spirit, a good friend, in one’s self.
I think I’ll put it on a bumpersticker or a t-shirt or something (or as LB says: “live the burn”). Or Maybe just share it with some friends.
