a love poem by Thomas Davis
I have hidden my face.
The green grass has grown wild about my house,
And the hiding places of the heart
Have multiplied and become numerous.
Spring croaks and thrashes at the wind.
The stars grow plump like yellow pears,
And the trees stand up, straight and proud,
From the soils of the earth.
I chant the words of love
And let my tongue grow dry with history.
I sing out the beauty of the sky
And tell the clouds to be silent
And to cease their rumbling.
Summer is the promise of the sun.
Conflict is the garment of drama.
O woman, you are the wind
And the sound of the wind.
O woman, you are the spirit of the stars.
I have hidden my face.
The green grass has grown wild about my house.
The hiding places of the heart
Have multiplied and become numerous.
O woman, on slippery ground
I will catch you and hold you in my arms.
fourwindowspress 
Oh WOW, Thomas–this is just full of good stuff! I love the end, especially–but I was also caught by the phrase, “conflict is the garment of drama”. Hmm, that’s worth a long ponder!
Yes, ‘Conflict is the garment of drama’ and ‘Summer is the promise of the sun’, are both worth thinking about—but I especially like ‘The green grass has grown wild about my house’. It speaks of the soul through the language of the world. It’s full of subtle paradox. It reminds me of Ezra Pound’s ‘The River Merchant’s Wife.’
The paired butterflies are already yellow with August
Over the grass in the West garden
And yet it reflects Rilke’s address to the statue of Apollo: everyone can see you. You must change your life.
A love poem indeed.
“The River Merchant’s Wife” is my favorite Pound poem, Jim. It is subtle and filled with a simple exterior that touches the heart of humankind and his complex relationships. Most of the love poems that I wrote when I was young are lyrical, but this one has seemed to me be different, maybe starting to foreshadow what I wrote later on and am writing today. As usual, you make great comments. Thank you.
Thomas, I really like this one – a lot. The repetition of the first stanza at the end is so effective; like a cross between a refrain and a lament … and a reassurance to the woman. Really enjoyed this. ~ Julie 🙂
It is always refreshing to come to the poems on fourwindowspress There is a special and unique quality here.
I, too, enjoy the subtle paradoxes…my favourite lines being, “I chant the words of love
And let my tongue grow dry with history.
Hmmn. Beautiful.
Beautiful poem, Thomas. I love this line especially; it says so much that is unspoken:
‘I chant the words of love
And let my tongue grow dry with history.’
And the last lines:
‘O woman, on slippery ground
I will catch you and hold you in my arms.’
A blessing to fall and be caught in time.