I'm working my way through a poetry book called "Harvesting Fog" by Luci Shaw. Most of her poems - after several puzzled readings - remain a mystery to me. Can you tell I'm not a REAL poetry person? But now and then one just jumps out at me and speaks to my heart. The following is one of those.
RECOGNITION
by Lucy Shaw
Who on earth saw him first, knowing
surely who he was? Belly to belly, when
John, prophet in utero, distinguished
in the natal soup the fetal bones, the body
curled like a comma, eyes tight, skull
packed with universal wisdom,
this unborn cousin began to dance.
And when she, birth-giver---
her ordinary vision arrowed down between
her legs, through pain and straw; to her son's dark
slime-streaked hair, to his very skin, red with
the struggle of being born--she lifted him
to her breast, kissed the face of God,
and felt her own heart leap.
3 comments:
Wow. I LOVE this poem.
I was leafing through a vintage book from Grandama K. called Little Stories About God. It's so old fashioned and not very good. But in the part of Jesus' birth it says: "the Virgin laid down, she was so tired after their long journey, she feel to sleep. Around midnight she was awoken by a loud trumpeting and angels singing. Beside her lay a baby boy, Jesus. She was so happy."
What a crock! Your poem is one thousand times better.
I agree! It didn't happen automatically! It was a normal, painful birth, just like any other birth of a child!
Tears to my eyes. I especially love the first stanza with its imagery and John leaping.
Don't worry too much about understanding poems; I personally have just begun to plug through and attempt to experience the feeling evoked.
A peaceful and blessed Christmas to you.
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