Tuesday, January 4, 2011

"Midcentury Love Letter" by Phyllis McGinley

Midcentury Love Letter
by Phyllis McGinley
Stay near me. Speak my name. Oh, do not wander
By a thought's span, heart's impulse, from the light
We kindle here. You are my sole defender
(As I am yours) in this precipitous night,
Which over earth, till common landmarks alter,
Is falling, without stars, and bitter cold.
We two have but our burning selves for shelter.
Huddle against me. Give me your hand to hold.


So might two climbers lost in mountain weather
On a high slope and taken by the storm,
Desperate in the darkness, cling together
Under one cloak and breathe each other warm.
Stay near me. Spirit, perishable as bone,
In no such winter can survive alone.

11 comments:

  1. Beautiful. <3 I especially love the last stanza ::)

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  2. I too love this poem . It was read at our wedding; my mother-in-law had a silk handkerchief embroidered with 'Stay near me' which my husband offered when I started to cry...

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  3. That's beautiful. :) Thank you for sharing!

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  4. does anyone know what this poam means, i have to read it to my class and i have to say what it is about, abd i am haveing a little trouble with that. can someone help me...?

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  5. I I would say that it is a pretty straightforward love poem. Careful reading should help you. :)

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  6. thank you R.A, i wil try to read it again and read it more carefully!

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  7. What is this poem abbout and don't tell me to read it more carefully

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    1. what a rude comment! the blogger doesn't want to help you cheat on your homework!! it's a beautiful poem and not very hard to understand, just read it carefully and look up the words you don't know!

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  8. I know I have to put up the work for the poem, but I'm in charge of writing wat the others have to say at the presentation tomorrow at school... School of The Arts is a lot of work!

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  9. Of course we should all read poetry ourselves but there is no shame in asking what someone else thinks about a poem, and no one should be criticized for doing so. To me, the poem is about the love that comes as one ages and life teaches us we don't always get what we want but can still find great strength in the love we have for each other, a mature love poem for people who have been together a long time and endured.

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  10. The cold dark night is falling, the suffering and trials of life where we see no light, and we have only each other. Let us stay close.

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