Saturday, March 21, 2020

Love in the Time of Isolation

 When the sun sleeps in,

letting fog-drunk
clouds rule the day,

my heart conjures warmth
from memories of my skin being kissed
by the lips of dawn.

 A beloved oakling

sprouting healthy leaves
in a pot—

can all things continue to grow
in isolation,
or is friendship virtually a boost?

 small magics
keep a wintered soul warm
until spring


for Poets and Storytellers United (Writers’ Pantry #12: You Gotta Know When to Hold ‘Em.  The 1st and 2nd  cheritas were inspired by Rommy’s Weekly Scribblings #10: Early Bird or Night Owl? and Sanaa’s Weekly Scribblings #11: Hypophora and all that, respectively.

the title is an echo of Gabriel García Márquez’s Love in the Time of Cholera, brought to mind by my recent reading of Rajani Radhakrishnan’s “Lockdown”, where the narrator speaks of “Love in the time of COVID-19 with apologies to Marquez”.

49 comments:

  1. Ah, the small magics can be very good magics. (Smile.)

    Altogether, these pieces make a lovely whole.

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  2. fog drunk clouds is so splendid an image!

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  3. I like the blend of wonderful poets in the title, Magaly, and that you have written a poem for our time. It seems that we are all writing poems to look back on, all chroniclers of this strange period in history. You’ve written a stunning poem. I love the contrast of ‘fog-drunk clouds’ and warm memories of ‘skin being kissed by the lips of dawn’. And what a pertinent question:
    ‘can all things continue to grow
    in isolation,
    or is friendship virtually a boost?’

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    1. This is, indeed, a time for chronicling the strange.

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  4. Beautiful words and a most apt title.

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  5. Wonderful work indeed, MG. I, too, was especially blown away by the closing. I was working on a May Day tanka-ish piece myself earlier this morning. (Best to be prepared in advance, eh?)

    Thanks for sharing this fine work!

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    1. Preparedness never catches anyone off guard. ;-)

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  6. The first one I feel hard in my heart, Though I know my family and I are among the luckier ones in that both the hubby and I can work from home, both kids are home, and we all enjoy each other's company, it's hard not to start some mornings thinking more of the clouds all around me rather than the sun waiting behind it.

    But there are so many ways to nurture love and take warmth from all the ways it manifests. I love how collectively all your pieces celebrate that. Thank goodness for those little magics in this strange, strange spring.

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    1. Thank goodness for the little magics... that grow so huge.

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  7. So soothing to be kissed by the lips of dawn.

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  8. I'm going to hope that the oak isn't isolated--that everything that still reaches it is encouraging it, the small shifts in the air, the minute creatures moving among its roots, the sounds of the birds gossiping about trees in other places.

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    1. Potted plants are isolated, but... they aren't alone.

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  9. Yes, we will live on memories of the good times as the bad times keep rolling on!

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  10. I am literally swooning right now!💝 The image of a beloved oakling sprouting love and hope in time of isolation is both delicious and uplifting. Thank you so much for writing, gorgeous 😍😍

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  11. Lovely. I especially love fog drunk clouds ruling the say when the sun sleeps in.

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  12. Maybe for awhile
    But until then
    let me be in love
    with morning kisses

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  13. I like the idea of the sun sleeping in, and the clouds being fog drunk. Such creative phrases!

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  14. The small magics, truly welcomed blessings. Perhaps isolation will have us reaching out more than we ever thought we would.

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  15. It is always a delight to read your words Magaly and wonder why my brain can't come up with such expressions as "Fog drunk clouds" and "Being kissed by thr lips of dawn"; (says he with a cry of frustration).

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  16. Beautifully written with hope!

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  17. The "lips of dawn" - such a thought. Oh, those small magics, of "oaklings". I like that word (I have about a 80 to be planted this spring.) Keep growing with the oakling, Magaly. Cheers!

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  18. Love love love these Magaly, and especially skin being kissed by the lips of dawn! Utterly beautiful!!

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  19. I love this one, despite the critic's opinions!

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  20. Boosting you up, up, up with virtual hugs and cheeks kisses. I am wearing a mask!

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    1. Thank you, Helen! Sending you virtual hugs and kisses and a few cackles on the side.

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  21. This is so beautiful Magaly ! I had been thinking of you and wondering about your world..and as always, inspiring and full of powerful magic.
    Hugs
    Victoria

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    1. Oh, dear goodness, Victoria! It's been forever (and I was weeks behind on replying to comments). I am so glad to see you here. I am well. I hope all is well with you, too.

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    2. P.S. If you read this, please let me know if there is any place where I can find you in the web. Your link leads to an empty profile.

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  22. We will all continue to grow and go forward! Beautiful Magaly! Big Hugs!

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