My Ode to Sharon Olds on another Poetry Thursday

Recently I've taken to devouring Sharon Olds,
feeding on her words as if they are my life blood,
as if they are the last great hope of womankind,
as if they are the prayer of the famished.
All her work I own I've read before
and am now re-reading with a new hunger,
my tongue passing over my lips for every last crumb,
licking my fingers, plunging face down
into the porcelain plate of her mind.
My mouth drops in awe of her honesty
and I wonder how she does it
how she finds the courage,
how she writes with such fierce rawness,
how she can stand to stand in her nakedness,
how she risks, over and over, being misunderstood,
risks standing under the burning eyes
I know too well.
I wonder what kind of god
lives in her that doesn't live in so many others,
and at the end of every poem,
before I turn the page,
there is this moment I realize
I have not lived, I do not understand,
and I feel a sharp pang of shame and
an equally sharp pang of hunger
and then that moment passes,
extinguished in forgiveness and acceptance
and I stand in great hope of who I am and
who I am becoming.

***************************************
First Thanksgiving
Sharon Olds
from Blood, Tin, Straw

When she comes back, from college, I will see
the skin of her upper arms, cool,
matte, glossy. She will hug me, my old
soupy chest against her breasts
I will smell her hair! She will sleep in this apartment,
her sleep like an untamed, good object,
like a soul in a body. She came into my life the
second great arrival, after him, fresh
from the other world--which lay, from within him,
within me. Those nights, I fed her to sleep,
week after week, the moon rising,
and setting, and waxing--whirling, over the months,
in a slow blur, around our planet.
Now she doesn't need love like that, she has
had it. She will walk in glowing, we will talk,
and then, when she's fast asleep, I'll exult
to have her in that room again,
behind that door! As a child, I caught
bees, by the wings, and held them, some seconds,
looked into their wild faces,
listened to them sing, then tossed them back
into the air--I remember the moment the
arc of my toss swerved, and they entered
the corrected curve of their departure.

Comments

[jason kenny]

Have a barbeque with plenty of fosters It works for me

[daisies]

sharon olds is such a worthy devour ... hope all is well in your world and that you had a beautiful holiday! wishing you beauty and understanding, love and laughter and all kinds of wonder in 2008, xox

[Heather]

This is so beautiful!! Everytime I come over here and take time to read what you wrote I'm completly blown away.

[Jennifer]

Hope you are doing well! We have not heard from you in awhile...I hope it is because you are surrounded by magic and don't have much time to write.

Wishing you well, and missing your words.

[Frankie]

I love, love, love this Michelle!! Your words are as always, beautiful, and I never just read them, but FEEL them in every inch of me. You ARE a poet, a wonderful, talented, daring one and I am in awe of you the way you are of dear Sharon Olds (one of my favorites). I hope you're having a wonderful holiday! I've missed you!!! xoxo

[sky]

What a nice tribute to her work you have written. Such a meaningful poem you posted here, one I had not read before. Thanks for sharing and Happy New Year!

[January]

I had the great pleasure of studying in Sharon in grad school. She's awesome, certainly more reserved that what you find in her poetry.

Happy New Year, Michelle. Hope to visit your blog more in 2008.

Best wishes!

[Jennifer (she said)]

I read Sharon olds at some point in my early 20's, before I became a mother or a wife, and still remember the the First Thanksgiving. Over the years, although I am a book lover, I have forced myself to give away or sell many of my books for lack of space. However, my books by Sharon Olds remain. She is a powerful, powerful writer. Her honesty is one of the things I appreciate most.

[tinker]

Your words made me want to read her words - that's the best kind of tribute, I think.

Hope you're having a happy holiday season.

[JanePoe (aka Deborah)]

You honour her beautifully! Peace, love and merriest Christmas wishes, JP/deb

[Sam]

Hmmm...I'm thinking I need some Sharon Olds in my life! I always love that poem of hers that's popped up on blogs...the one she wrote about the photograph of her parents...

[Sam]

Hmmm...I'm thinking I need some Sharon Olds in my life! I always love that poem of hers that's popped up on blogs...the one she wrote about the photograph of her parents...

[Beth]

Love who you are and what you write and how you share so well with us how you feel !!!
I had to use you as an example in my latest post because I love your honesty !!!

[shona]

thanks for this rec, I want to read more! your writing is wonderful too :)

[pink sky]

now i must take a peek at her writing!

[claire]

Thanks for sharing one of Sharon's poems. It's great to be able to read what inspires you so fiercely.

[kristen]

sharon old's poetry makes my breath catch in my throat - her words speak to my soul. i love this collection of her poems, i'm going to go get it out right now. xo

[poetryman69]

Making the ordinary beautiful. Thank you!

[Jana]

damn, that is so beautiful that i want to cry (and I'm not much of a crier)...

[Jana]

damn, that is so beautiful that i want to cry (and I'm not much of a crier)...

[Sarah]

Wow! How am I a writer, an English major, a Poet, and a Women's studies minor without having ever heard of this poet?

Thank you for sharing!

p.s. Your own poetry is really quite raw and inspiring also.

*hugs*
Sarah

[jessabean]

Sharon Olds is my absolute favorite poet! Thank you so much for reminding me how great she is and that I should be reading her work right now

And your poem is absolutely beautiful. What a wonderful ode to an amazing writer. You're awesome!

[joelle]

I'm not a poetry reader but I can appreciate what you've shared here. Very nice.