The other day I rewarded myself with a visit to Barnes and Noble and a new book of poetry. I didn’t go looking for Czeslaw Milosz but was pleasantly surprised when I saw his name hidden between large volumes of Pablo Neruda. I’m relatively unfamiliar with Milosz; his name, however, appeared in an old professor’s Facebook status and in certain news headlines over the past couple weeks. The name of the collection is Second Space. When I finish reading, I’ll write a review. In the meantime, I’ll post poems that I think worth more thought or worth sharing (with or without nebulous, thoughtful, but meandering comments).
HEAR ME
Hear me, Lord, for I am a sinner, which means I have nothing except prayer.
Protect me from the day of dryness and impotence.
When neither a swallow’s flight nor peonies, daffodils and irises in the flower market are a sign of Your glory.
When I will be surrounded by scoffers and unable, against their arguments, to remember any miracle of Yours.
When I will seem to myself an impostor and swindler because I take part in religious rites.
When I will accuse You of establishing the universal law of death.
When I am ready at last to bow down to nothingness and call life on earth a devil’s vaudeville.
*Update: Here’s a great interview with Milosz. (EYEBROWS!) He talks about his philosophy(?) of poetry and some of his influences–especially Blake. Now I’m not sure I’ll be able to read Milosz without thinking about Blake’s Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience.
