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Tuesday, March 26, 2019

The Tuesday Platform

I can survive anything even the burnt of failure, the pain that lingers long after circumstances have altered, this and so much more only if I feel loved. 

I stumbled upon an incredibly evocative poem by Peter Cole and was deeply touched by the wisdom in his writing. Born in Paterson, New Jersey in 1957 he has been called "one of the handful of authentic poets of his own American generation" by the critic Harold Bloom. His work both as a poet and a translator reflects a sustained engagement with the cultures of Judaism and especially of the Middle East.

His collections of poetry include Rift (1989), Things on Which I’ve Stumbled (2008), The Invention of Influence (2014), and Hymns & Qualms: New and Selected Poems and Translations (2017). With Adina Hoffman, he wrote the nonfiction volume Sacred Trash: The Lost and Found World of the Cairo Geniza (2011).

The Ghazal of What Hurt 
by Peter Cole

Pain froze you, for years—and fear—leaving scars. 
But now, as though miraculously, it seems, here you are 

walking easily across the ground, and into town 
as though you were floating on air, which in part you are, 

or riding a wave of what feels like the world’s good will—
though helped along by something foreign and older than you are 

and yet much younger too, inside you, and so palpable 
an X-ray, you’re sure, would show it, within the body you are,
 
not all that far beneath the skin, and even in 
some bones. Making you wonder: Are you what you are—

with all that isn’t actually you having flowed 
through and settled in you, and made you what you are? 

The pain was never replaced, nor was it quite erased. 
It’s memory now—so you know just how lucky you are. 

You didn’t always. Were you then? And where’s the fear?
Inside your words, like an engine? The car you are?! 

Face it, friend, you most exist when you’re driven 
away, or on—by forms and forces greater than you are. 


I also found an exquisite song by Three Days Grace which goes beautifully with the poem by Cole.


Welcome to the Tuesday Platform, the weekly open stage for sharing poems in the Imaginary Garden. Please link up a poem, old or new, and spend some time this week visiting the offerings of our fellow writers.

SHARE * READ * COMMENT * ENJOY

11 comments:

  1. Hi Sanaa.. How did Tuesday come around so quickly? I am sharing the last of my temple series today. Thank you for the wonderful post.

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  2. @Kerry; The days are passing by so fast I can't believe it's almost April! Happy Tuesday! Heading over to read you!💞☕

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  3. Good morning, friends! I'm sharing an older poem in a fun new format :)

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  4. @Marian; Good morning gorgeous! Heading over to read you, Happy Tuesday!💞☕

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  5. Happy Tuesday!! I have another offering from my Twila series.

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  6. @Susie; Your Twila series is absolutely amazing! Happy Tuesday!💞☕

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  7. Sharing a small poem I just wrote. Happy Tuesday! :)

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  8. In case anyone wonders why I've stopped reading and commenting, we've been having intermittent Internet problems and every time I start to type something, it fails again. So I wrote this very quickly while it was working but I'm giving up now and will try again in the morning.

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  9. After a long absence, I'm back in the garden.

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  10. @Vinitha; Happy Tuesday and welcome to the Garden! Heading over to read you 💞☕

    @Kim; I can absolutely relate. Loved your poem!💞☕

    @Jazzbumpa; Welcome back! Hope you are well!💞☕

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  11. That ghazal is magnificent! I always enjoy these Tuesday platforms. :)

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