Write to your loved one(s)

Dear Friends, This has been the busiest week of my year and as a result had neither time nor psychic energy o blog -- but now that I can be back on track, let me share with you ad special moment in last weeks many special events. On Thursday evening Mary and I cooked dinner for the 16 members of the faculty and staff of the Antiquarian Booksellers Seminar, held here every year at CC. After dinner, during dessert with tirimisu and limoncella, I presented a love poem I had written for Mary. A straightforward poem of describing what I loved about her femininity. Finished, I challenged the men at the table to think about writing a love poem to their spouse or significant partner. Of course, they all indicated they were not poets. My response: You do not have to be a poet to write a sensitive, enamoring, thoughtful, beautiful expression in words to celebrate your love and joyous affection for your partner, male or female. Observe, simply observe her or him. Be in the moment. What attracts you -- the sound of her voice? The way he takes out the trash without being asked? How she flirts her hair with bangs? How he always refills your coffee so you don't have to get up? Or brings in the paper and opens it on the table for you? Be in the moment: Sniff her skin, hear, feel, taste, and write simple straightforward observations. DO NOT attempt to wax poetic and DO NOT use comparisons or metaphors. When we have coffee in the morning I like the way you wrap your fingers around the coffee cup and I see your eyes light up as you sip the first taste your voice when you read a Peanuts cartoon to me and you impersonate Lucy freshly showered, your hair hangs loosely, touching the milky skin of your shoulder etc etc, until you become aware of what made you write all of this in the first place, that sixth sense, above and beyond the physical, the epiphany of that moment, such as James Wright had when he wrote the poem about the two horses in the pasture "If I step out of my body I would break into blossom." For this exercise, maybe I'd write "When I look at you at breakfast, I am praying with my eyes open." So, as the world spins in a daily revolution around itself and moves farther in its circle around the sun, be here and be here now, in front of your loved one, and observe, and share, and enoble and enrich both of your lives. TOMORROW: how would I re-write this?