Translational Velocity, Full Moon, Mid-Afternoon in Early June
It is more than how quickly these lines reach you.
It is that they move you. How through them
You change position in time. I used to think love
was the measure of an object’s rotational inertia,
Well not exactly in those words, but how things
in a given state should stay in that state without end
But I was mistaken, that measure is simply mass
as it spins or doesn’t, assuming further it has a center
Around which to spin and absolutely nothing
that could make it wobble or twist. Your hands
And wrist gently, impossibly, your neck and jaw
set the stillness spinning, under the hidden moon
And the leaves with their riot of turning stems
in the slight breeze and the alternating paths
They allow the light to the pavement
beneath the sycamore limbs, as we stand still
Moving on the inside, or move over time, love is the change
In direction or speed, love is the inconsistent
liveliness, the moving picture, projected on any surface,
love is just keeping up with it, keeping up.
So who said you can’t write a good poem with ‘moon’ and ‘June’ in it? 🙂
Thanks Mary! I’m not sure I rebutted that argument, but I’ll take your word for it.
Take my word for it. I’ve translated it into Chinese and will record a Cantonese reading.
I’ll be serious for a change. Just watch me!
~*~
Yours is some of the finest love poetry in the English language. This one is no exception.
(You didn’t think I could do it, did you?!)
Ron
That serious stuff is pretty good. Thanks Ron!
You’re welcome.
Of course, I think Beowulf is some of the finest love poetry in the English language also!
(The left hand giveth, and the right hand taketh away! *hehe*)
Ron
The lines reached me, but they’re not moving through. They’ve stayed.
Thanks, Robert. Hey, did you have a reading last night? How did it go?
It was fun, and a few surprise visitors showed, including Ron Evans, who made the trek from exotic Alvarado.
Great! I hope one of you took a picture …
I believe there are a few mugshots, and the reading was recorded and will appear on Malvern’s YouTube channel sometime in the near future (which may or may not be something to dread). 🙂
Ah very cool. I will be looking for it.
Lovely. “and the leaves with their riot of turning stems” love that line. such beautiful language throughout
Thank you!
Reblogged this on Life is But This and commented:
傳譯之速，月圓，六月的中午
不止是這些句子能達到你的速度。
而是它們能感動你，而是通過它們
你在歲月間改變。 我從來覺得愛情
是一件物件旋轉慣性的衡量，可能
不一定會用這些字眼表達，但事情
在某種情況下應該永久保持不變。
可是我錯了，就是能假定它有核心
無論轉動與否，那標準只是物體。
無論怎樣環繞著它旋轉也不能
令它搖擺或轉動。 你雙手和手腕
輕柔地，難以置信地；你的頸，
下巴在無動中在羞月下帶動旋轉。
葉子騷亂，在微風中飄蕩，
聚散，讓光灑至地上，
落在樹下不動的你我
不論在內心移動，或讓時光改變，
愛情常轉拍子和方向。愛情有
變化無常的生命，是放在不同
表面上的電影，愛情只能
不斷的趕上畫面，堅持
(c) Mary Tang
Beautiful poem, moving pictures, musical voice
Thanks DJK. Glad to see you here!