We Shape the Road With Our Feet

[novella]

In the soft clay road
We retrace our footprints
Breathing hard up the hill
Not saying much,
Just me, just you.
The way we walk has grown similar

Our words cover the same thoughts,
Our close breath
From mouth to mouth in bed
Indistinguishable sometimes.

I did not mean for this to happen
But leaned toward you
And you toward me
And we grew together like a tree.
What differences can there be.

One empty sigh opens a gate.
The magnolia bends in the wind
Its petals near to falling.

The Chinese say
In such love there is no argument.
We eat from the same pot
We sleep on the same pillow.


Excuse me for posting this in two places. I wanted to put it here so it doesn't get lost. Inspired by "marriage" thread.

 

[Ell]

Lovely poem, novella.

 

[Wabbit]

That's a great poem. Beautiful.

 

[novella]

Ell, I think we are often of the same mind.

Bunnyman, we are so often not, and so I take your compliment to heart.

 

[Eugen]

It is beautiful, the title especially.

 

[mojo]

The poem reminded me of Footprints by Margaret Fishback Powe, not just the obvious title but in terms of spirituality and tone:


One night a man had a dream.
He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the LORD.
Across the sky flashed scenes from his life.
For each scene he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand:
one belonging to him, and the other to the LORD.




Is this deliberate? It feels similar to me, but I love that you've applied such elevating imagery and style to a relationship between people rather than to God. Beautiful poem, really like your stuff Novella, youve written a few things on here that I've really enjoyed (Will stop kissing your ass now lol)

 

[novella]

Thanks, mojo.

I'm not familiar with that poem. It does use the same metaphor, though mine is meant in a literal sense as well. This imagery( and literal scene) was just taken from my own life, something I do every day.

I'm really glad you like the writing!

 

[RaVeN]

Thank you.


RaVeN

 

[mojo]

Thanks, mojo.

I'm not familiar with that poem. It does use the same metaphor, though mine is meant in a literal sense as well. This imagery( and literal scene) was just taken from my own life, something I do every day.

I'm really glad you like the writing!

Thanks for explaining that it's literal as well as metaphorical, I didn't pick up on that first time, but see it now, adds an extra level to it....

 

[sanyuja]

Novella, Beautiful poem!!!
I loved the title and the poem.
I can relate to it. This is the first poem I could relate to

 

[novella]

Sanyuja, wow, I am so happy you say so, especially given that I just read your post about poetry. So maybe you just haven't found the right poetry yet?

Some poems obscure deep emotions, others are mostly literary pyrotechnics, and some elucidate emotions. I like the last type best.

 

[Nathan]

Lovely. It has all the great themes, like humanity's relationship with nature and our relationships with each other, maybe implying that we are more the same than different. I love thinking about that. (I'm not trying to put a message in your poem that isn't there; that's just what I felt reading it).

Please share more!

 

[graydaisy]

This is beautiful.

 

[Dizzy]

it's a beautiful poem, matched up with a beautiful title.

 

[Maya]

I agree with everyone.
Very beautiful poem novella.

 

[novella]

Thank you, all.