She said, “it sounds like courting”
when you took me to the beach,
the wind blew my eyes to streaming,
we tried to stay on the hill.
He said “a poem is like a question:
neither true nor false”
I whispered “poetry is truth”
but I’d misunderstood.
I said “it shouldn’t be possible
to describe anyone in one sentence.”
You said “there isn’t much time,
try.”
I said “Outside my window a shimmering boy
carries his shoes, a jacket
and smokes, while I sweep sand
from beneath my pillow.”
© Saradha Koirala 2010
Oh yes. I love this. It says so much with the quiet exchange of words, images, ideas and detail – the sand under the pillow is genius. Of course it is impossible to convey everything in a poem, but you have certainly proved how possible it is to rise to the challenge and convey a mighty lot in one, anyway.
Thank you, Kay! It is an attempt to question what can be done with words whilst trying to do some of it – hmm. I’m glad you liked it. Cheers.