Embrace of Pretense (by Russell Salamon)

Embrace of Pretense

 

Do you feel this embrace of pretense,

two souls in joyous kiss? The less

solid I am the more true I am. No time 

passes; it only seems to hold our play.

We feel pain and loss, sensations and

depths of war, and action. There is no 

need to feel condemned by eternal life.

Life is not a life-sentence. It is choice.

All lives and forms are self-chosen

pretenses.

 

The great swindle was loss

of pretense–the effervescent

imagination sees things to see.

Let me show you animals who eat

stones–takes a long time in little

bites–lichen, the rust on stones;

lizards the slick thoughts of stones.

 

You know how much I hate serious

time. Let’s jump out of the water

as fish in big splashing loops and

breathe the air spectrum, one gas

at a time. How oxygen tastes, how

helium, how chromium, vanadium,

wampum; how silly the snails feel

walking on their stomach foot, tasting

dirt and plant juices. Ah, good idea.

Let’s stick tongues on our feet and

go walking in the swamp.

 

Girl With Green Eyes 73

by Russell Salamon
October 27, 2011

* * *

Recommended Russell Salamon works include Descent into Cleveland (1994, Words & Pictures Press), Woodsmoke & Green Tea (2006, deep cleveland press), and Ascent from Cleveland: Wild Heart / Steel Phoenix (2008, Freedonia Press).  You may contact the author at thesalamons@earthlink.net.

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Coleman Barks reads from his translation of Rumi at Dodge

http://youtu.be/eTFsUQZcSJU

Video courtesy of PoetryEverywherePTV  

Coleman Barks reads reads his translation of 13th-century Persian poet Rumi. as part of the Poetry Everywhere project airing on public television — produced by David Grubin Productions and WGBH Boston, in association with the Poetry Foundation. Filmed at the Geraldine R. Dodge Poetry Festival.  For more information, visit http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/poetryeverywhere.

For more Coleman Barks, visit http://www.colemanbarks.com.

won’t you celebrate with me (by Lucille Clifton) – video

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Video courtesy of PoetryEverywherePTV  

Lucille Clifton reads her poem “won’t you celebrate with me” as part of the Poetry Everywhere project airing on public television — produced by David Grubin Productions and WGBH Boston, in association with the Poetry Foundation. Filmed at the Geraldine R. Dodge Poetry Festival.  For more information, visit http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/poetryeverywhere.

For more Lucille Clifton, visit http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/lucille-clifton.

A Partial History of My Stupidity (by Edward Hirsch) – video

http://youtu.be/rmmA-P92COA

Video courtesy of PoetryEverywherePTV  

Edward Hirsch reads his poem “A Partial History of My Stupidity” as part of the Poetry Everywhere project airing on public television — produced by David Grubin Productions and WGBH Boston, in association with the Poetry Foundation. Filmed at the Geraldine R. Dodge Poetry Festival.  For more information, visit http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/poetryeverywhere.

For more Edward Hircsh, visit http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/edward-hirsch.

For What Binds Us (by Jane Hirshfield) – video

http://youtu.be/MQb5g5CISn4

Video courtesy of PoetryEverywherePTV  

Jane Hirshfield reads her poem “For What Binds Us” as part of the Poetry Everywhere project airing on public television — produced by David Grubin Productions and WGBH Boston, in association with the Poetry Foundation. Filmed at the Geraldine R. Dodge Poetry Festival.  For more information, visit http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/poetryeverywhere.

For more Jane Hirshfield, visit http://www.amazon.com/Jane-Hirshfield/e/B001IXRQS2.

The Gate (by Marie Howe) – video

http://youtu.be/AcoIkHFjYko

Video courtesy of PoetryEverywherePTV  

Marie Howe reads her poem “The Gate” as part of the Poetry Everywhere project airing on public television — produced by David Grubin Productions and WGBH Boston, in association with the Poetry Foundation. For more information, visit http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/poetryeverywhere.

For more Marie Howe, visit http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/marie-howe. 

One Boy Told Me (by Naomi Shihab Nye) – video

http://youtu.be/biJ3FP8aDjY

Video courtesy of PoetryEverywherePTV  

Naomi Shihab Nye reads her poem “One Boy Told Me” as part of the Poetry Everywhere project airing on public television — produced by David Grubin Productions and WGBH Boston, in association with the Poetry Foundation. Filmed at the Geraldine R. Dodge Poetry Festival.  For more information, visit http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/poetryeverywhere.

For more Naomi Shihab Nye, visit http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/naomi-shihab-nye or check out these titles:

      

Brian, Age 7 (by Mark Doty) – video

http://youtu.be/DyIEbhrGsjY

Video courtesy of PoetryEverywherePTV  

Mark Doty reads his poem “Brian, Age 7” as part of the Poetry Everywhere project airing on public television — produced by David Grubin Productions and WGBH Boston, in association with the Poetry Foundation. Filmed at the Geraldine R. Dodge Poetry Festival.  For more information, visit http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/poetryeverywhere.

For more Mark Doty, visit http://www.markdoty.org or check out these titles:

   

Daddy Long Legs (by Ted Kooser) – video

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Video courtesy of PoetryEverywherePTV  

Ted Kooser reads his poem “Daddy Long Legs” as part of the Poetry Everywhere project airing on public television — produced by David Grubin Productions and WGBH Boston, in association with the Poetry Foundation. This video is part of the WGBH Poetry Breaks series created by Leita Luchetti.  For more information, visit http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/poetryeverywhere.

For more Ted Kooser, visit http://www.tedkooser.net.

Touch Me (by Stanley Kunitz) – video

http://youtu.be/nihqt3Ct2KU

Video courtesy of PoetryEverywherePTV  

Stanley Kunitz reads his poem “Touch Me” as part of the Poetry Everywhere project airing on public television — produced by David Grubin Productions and WGBH Boston, in association with the Poetry Foundation. This video is part of the WGBH Poetry Breaks series created by Leita Luchetti.  For more information, visit http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/poetryeverywhere.

For more Stanley Kunitz, see http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/stanley-kunitz.