I've read and re-read this poem hundreds of times, but still I cannot guess why Merwin calls it "Departure's Girlfriend" -- why girlfriend?? Any suggestions? On Tue, Oct 1, 2013 at 4:32 PM, Mike Geary <gearyservice@xxxxxxxxx> wrote: > One of my favorite poets. Love this one: Departure's Girlfriend > Loneliness leapt in the mirrors, but all week > I kept them covered like cages. Then I thought > Of a better thing. > > And though it was late night in the city > There I was on my way > To my boat, feeling good to be going, hugging > This big wreath with the words like real > Silver: Bon Voyage. > > The night > Was mine but everyone's, like a birthday. > Its fur touched my face in passing. I was going > Down to my boat, my boat, > To see if off, and glad at the thought. > Some leaves of the wreath were holding my hands > And the rest waved good-bye as I walked, as though > They were still alive. > > And all went well till I came to the wharf, and no one. > > I say no one, but I mean > There was this young man, maybe > Out of the merchant marine, > In some uniform, and I knew who he was; just the same > When he said to me where do you think you're going, > I was happy to tell him. > > But he said to me, it isn't your boat, > You don't have one. I said, it's mine, I can prove it: > Look at this wreath I'm carrying to it, > Bon Voyage. He said, this is the stone wharf, lady, > You don't own anything here. > And as I > Was turning away, the injustice of it > Lit up the buildings, and there I was > In the other and hated city > Where I was born, where nothing is moored, where > The lights crawl over the stone like flies, spelling now, > Now, and the same fat chances roll > Their many eyes; and I step once more > Through a hoop of tears and walk on, holding this > Buoy of flowers in front of my beauty, > Wishing myself the good voyage. > > W.S. > Merwin<http://www.coppercanyonpress.org/catalog/dsp_bookDetail.cfm?Book_ID=1238> > > > On Tue, Oct 1, 2013 at 5:04 AM, <cblists@xxxxxxxx> wrote: > >> >> On 1-Oct-13, at 2:22 AM, Robert Paul wrote: >> >> Merwin was born in New York, on September 30, 1927. Here's a poem. >>> >>> Worn Words >>> ... >>> >> >> Thanks, Robert. Merwin was previously unknown to me. More about, and by, >> Merwin can be found at >> >> http://www.poetryfoundation.**org/bio/w-s-merwin<http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/w-s-merwin> >> >> On a more prosaic note, today is the 110th anniversary of the first >> patent of a thermos bottle (Thermosflasche) by the German glass technician >> Reinhold Burge. >> >> Chris Bruce, >> glad on a gloriously golden October morning to >> be able to take a couple of cups of tea along with >> a book of poetry to the Old Botanical Garden, in >> Kiel Germany >> -- >> >> ------------------------------**------------------------------**------ >> To change your Lit-Ideas settings (subscribe/unsub, vacation on/off, >> digest on/off), visit >> www.andreas.com/faq-lit-ideas.**html<http://www.andreas.com/faq-lit-ideas.html> >> > >