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Wednesday, August 26, 2009

MY SLEEPING LOVED ONES

Vittore Carpaccio - c.1460-c.1526

This is no angel fallen in the noon,
But my sister asleep on the couch.
And don't mistake my stillness for awe.
It's just that I don't want to waken her,
Though I'd love to cup her chin in my palms,
Bend down to her, like a mirror, and kiss her face.
But I'll do nothing, just look a while, then leave
quietly. For this is noon,
Time of rest, hour of tenderness
And the sleeping loved ones.

From the book, 'Rose' by Li-Young Lee
'The Sleeping Loved Ones' - 1st stanza

6 comments:

steven said...

hi alaine - i love moments. especially moments that are "unpacked", opened out like a flower. this is so exquisite. i think this way about my children - they're 12/13 and 14/15 and they'd likely be horrified if they thought i'd actually think this. but i do. absolute magic. thankyou alaine. steven

Tess Kincaid said...

So tender and poignant. I loved this.

alaine@éclectique said...

Steven, I did the same when I had my 'babies' at home, even when in their twenties. I always disliked people saying, 'They're only good when they're alseep'.

Willow, It started with the painting and I just knew that Li-Young Lee would have written the words.

Delwyn said...

Hi Alaine

I love the pairing that you have made...

a lovely scenario...I quite like those 'nana naps' myself...

Happy days

Unknown said...

Hi Alaine,

Now, if only I could sleep at noon, maybe someone could think this of me!

alaine@éclectique said...

Delwyn, We do too but a girlfriend said, 'oh no, only old people do that'!

Derrick, Aw,not even a power nap in the back office?