Friday, June 07, 2019

Poetry Friday: Living in Two Places

Since last Poetry Friday I have traveled to a different planet; it's impossible to believe that the United States and Haiti are in the same galaxy, and though I know they are, and am well aware of the implications of that, for a moment I like to pretend otherwise. (Here's a post on the falsehood of that "two planets" theory I'm trying to keep alive in my head.)

where we are
by Gerald Locklin

(for edward field)

i envy those
who live in two places:
new york, say, and london;
wales and spain;
l.a. and paris;
hawaii and switzerland.

there is always the anticipation
of the change, the chance that what is wrong
is the result of where you are. i have
always loved both the freshness of
arriving and the relief of leaving. with
two homes every move would be a homecoming.
i am not even considering the weather, hot
or cold, dry or wet: i am talking about hope.


Michelle has today's roundup.

7 comments:

  1. Cool poem, love the ending. I just returned from Hawaii, and though it's part of the U.S., it feels like a different planet from Virginia in many ways. Safe travels to you!

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  2. It's good to hear from you, Ruth. I am going to a house that our family has visited on a beach for 7 years now. Part of me feels like the poem reflected my experiences there, but I know there's more. I'm still in the U.S., only by the ocean instead of the mountains. Still, the hope stays with me everywhere I go, and everywhere I know about. Thank you!

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  3. I never thought about this before...but yes, the anticipation that what is wrong is because of where you are. Great line to think about. Thanks for this. I hope you are doing well and enjoying the place that you are now!

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  4. I want to explore this "two planet" idea with my students. Many come from or have family in other countries, but even the ones who don't might feel like school is a different planet from home.

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  5. I went back and read your "two planets" post -- it's food for thought. Wherever you live, that way of life is your norm. Whether it is spending $10K on middle school application consultants or carrying water for your basic needs. How separate we feel from each other...we have no idea how the cause/effect thing is working or how to change it.

    every move a homecoming, I like that!

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  6. What a refreshing and fascinating poem Ruth. As I've lived in Chicago most of my life anytime I travel to a place that has huge mountains, a tide that comes in and goes our, or tropical palm trees I feel like I'm on another planet and am in awe by my surroundings. Enjoy your planet hopping…

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  7. What a thought-provoking poem as is your post about living in two worlds.

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