Aimless Love

Aimless Love

This morning as I
walked along the lakeshore,
I fell in love with a wren
and later in the day with a mouse
the cat had dropped under
the dining room table.

In the shadows of an autumn evening,
I fell for a seamstress
still at her machine
in the tailor's window,
and later for a bowl of broth,
steam rising like smoke
from a naval battle.

This is the best kind of love,
I thought,
without recompense, without gifts,
or unkind words, without suspicion,
or silence on the telephone.

The love of the chestnut,
the jazz cap and one hand
on the wheel.

No lust, no slam of the door -
the love of the miniature orange tree,
the clean white shirt,
the hot evening shower,
the highway that cuts across Florida.

No waiting, no huffiness, or rancor -
just a twinge every now and then

for the wren who had built her nest
on a low branch overhanging the water
and for the dead mouse,
still dressed in its light brown suit.

But my heart is always propped up
in a field on its tripod,
ready for the next arrow.

After I carried the mouse by the tail
to a pile of leaves in the woods,
I found myself standing at the bathroom sink
gazing down affectionately
at the soap,

so patient and soluble,
so at home in its pale green soap dish.
I could feel myself falling again
as I felt its turning in my wet hands
and caught the scent of lavender and stone.

Billy Collins

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• Love
• poetry
• Billy
• Collins
• Aimless
• Falling
• in
• love
• happiness
• contentment

[newmediaformat]

I Love Your Readings. You could read aloud off the back of a box of breakfast cereal and have my rapt attention. There, I've said it. - So now sentence me to a bowl of Post Toasties, if you must. *****

[loveyoutodeathbut]

nmf, you cracked me up =)

[ADandyLion07]

I can't help but have a flicker of green in my eye for you Turweesa... Not a minute goes by in my day that isn't a wash of you, I Love You Baby...

[loveyoutodeathbut]

Just when cricket left you returned! I'm so happy you're bobbing and weaving through my videos and lavishing me with your love. Do you know how much I've missed you? I love you Dandy and you need to stay close, please.

[Roolooth99]

I enjoyed this one and your lovely reading of it, so nice.Liked this bit - "But my heart is always propped up

in a field on its tripod,

ready for the next arrow"

[loveyoutodeathbut]

Hey, Roo. My Freudian slip was saying 'waiting' because I'm never ready for those arrows.

[way2waky]

What A Wonderful Video And Deep Words

That Paint A Picture In My Mind!

[dontsendmeanybs]

:-)

[Deadright07]

What a nice video, my friend has a sweet voice.

[lupocephalic]

Hahaha.... How charming are YOU, oh, witty one?