Someone, possibly more than one
Looks into our living room and the shaded room we sleep in,
at home in our patches and tears.
For years they have watched us, back-lit by the desert –
And we open up…. unchanging, alive
The warmest of greetings I utter,
And with ironic caw, they tell us, “who cares, who cares?”
They – the unjust, those who love, and do not love –
Preoccupied with gender.
Though I’m broody at times, frustrated,
Waving them off… By dogstar
I consistently find
A universe of gold, full of miracles, indestructible
In our living room and the shaded room we sleep in,
at home in our patches and tears.
Another patchwork poem set off by the Patchwork Poems blog, and derived from six amazing poems by five amazing poets. I thoroughly recommend each of them, though they’re all so very different it was very hard to patchwork them!
Running away together, by Maxine Kumin
Video cuisine, by Maxine Kumin
Ode to a Lemon, by Pablo Neruda
Fame is a fickle food, by Emily Dickinson
The clean platter, by Ogden Nash
Wonderbread, by Patrick Corn
Although my poem is entirely built on lines from these poems, which are all about food, I find I have written a poem which doesn’t mention food at all… I was about to say what I think it is about, but instead I’m going to leave it for people to interpret for themselves as I’m intrigued what you will say!
To find out if other patchworkers have developed something more food-related, or to find out more about patchwork poems (the principle is to use complete lines by other poets, with changes to pronouns/tenses permissible but discouraged) click here to visit the Patchwork Poetry blog.
Words that sing 
sounds like we are watching each other without knowing each other but then I think maybe it’s our dreams that are lurking in the dark, waiting for us to for-fill them
Interesting…. as it happens that wasn’t what I was thinking at all but a very intriguing idea… dreams lurking in the dark!
Lirone, I feel I should confess to you that, although you have never done me any wrong, I have nevertheless inflicted the Sun Mountain Award for outstanding blogging on you. Details at my blog. I suppose this means I’ll be hearing from your lawyers.
this is a beautiful poem! no matter that it doesn’t have food! it is full and sumptuous all on its own. you said it was hard to piece together, but i have to say, it appears effortless!
to me, the poem speaks of domestic harmony. and of finding happiness in your home/family, despite outward appearances/circumstances or other people’s opinions. it felt like the narrator had finally discovered the warmth and coziness (like the it windows in the pictures) had been there all along.
i liked it very much!
Jillypoet; that was very much what I had in mind
Because of the phrases I picked out, the third verse suggests to me that it’s a same sex couple experiencing religious disapproval. (the reference to the desert, those who “love and do not love, preoccupied by gender” etc)
But the reason why the couple are disapproved of by some is far less important than the idea that the external critical scrutiny can’t touch the joy of their relationship. I’m glad that came across successfully!
I’m so glad you didn’t mention food. It made the whole poem unique considering our choices this week. I love that last line and the way you used it. It was a tough week, imo, but you pulled together a meaningful cento. Good job.