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The cynicism that you have is not your real soul.

Topography by Sharon Olds

After we flew across the country we
got in bed, laid our bodies
delicately together, like maps laid
face to face, East to West, my
San Francisco against your New York, your
Fire Island against my Sonoma, my
New Orleans deep in your Texas, your Idaho
bright on my Great Lakes, my Kansas
burning against your Kansas your Kansas
burning against my Kansas, your Eastern
Standard Time pressing into my
Pacific Time, my Mountain Time
beating against your Central Time, your
sun rising swiftly from the right my
sun rising swiftly from the left your
moon rising slowly from the left my
moon rising slowly from the right until
all four bodies of the sky
burn above us, sealing us together,
all our cities twin cities,
all our states united, one
nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
 
Sharon Olds 
December 31st, 2009

Comments:

Comment #1 by Karen Heck on January 1, 2010 - 7:48am

A perfect way to start twenty10.

Comment #2 by Nichole Long on January 1, 2010 - 8:58pm

Wow, great poem. Happy New Year!

Comment #3 by Internetsvijet on January 5, 2010 - 11:03am

Wow, perfect poem! Somehow for a moment it reminded me of E. E. Cummings and one of my favorites so if I can share:

I carry your heart with me
I carry it in my heart
I am never without it
anywhere I go you go, my dear;
and whatever is done
by only me is your doing, my darling

I fear no fate for you are my fate, my sweet
I want no world for beautiful you are my world, my true
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;
which grows higher than soul can hope or mind can hide
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

I carry your heart
I carry it in my heart

Comment #4 by steph on January 5, 2010 - 10:02pm

Love this poem. Thanks for Sharing and Happy 2010!

Comment #5 by Warren Davies on January 10, 2010 - 7:51pm

Very cool! I particularly like the line: "my New Orleans deep in your Texas" - found that quite funny.

Comment #6 by Judith Ellis on January 11, 2010 - 10:12am

Simply Beautiful!

Comment #7 by Raygen on January 14, 2010 - 6:19pm

Wow what an excellent poem! I got a chuckle out of the line "your Idaho
bright on my Great Lakes". That is classic! I dig it. Thank you for sharing, and may you have a fantastic 2010.

Comment #8 by joni @ cute nicknames on January 14, 2010 - 9:24pm

This is very pretty. Have a great 2010!

Comment #9 by Danielle LaPorte on January 15, 2010 - 11:46pm

makes for soft smiles, misty eyes.
xo

Comment #10 by Super Amanda on January 18, 2010 - 2:24am

Sending good spirits and baby love to you. Your blog is a place of peace and hope and it is appreciated.

Comment #11 by Mig Welding | Metal Stamping on January 20, 2010 - 10:21am

Really great one, I love the style and words to express the feelings."I am never without it
anywhere I go you go, my dear".Great

Comment #12 by Best Casino Bonus Online on January 20, 2010 - 3:41pm

I really enjoyed this poem, I don't think you find eroticism and geography often linked together! This works as a meeting of minds and bodies.

Comment #13 by Lovely to c on January 24, 2010 - 10:40pm

Wow. Nice, effiecient, and profound poem. Subtle love, and strong connection.

Comment #14 by Mike Kopiband on January 25, 2010 - 7:33pm

very nice poem, it touched ma heart, a very perfect piece of poetry with a deep soulistic touch! thanks for sharing!

Comment #15 by Super Amanda on January 27, 2010 - 6:27am

Loving the poetry. Sensual is good.

And i want you to hear this too. A face friendly face from my childhood.

Year of the Tiger. seeking other beauty. nasty space funk!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5nRrQRdXQQ

Comment #16 by Funny on January 28, 2010 - 9:05pm

That is a very beautiful and soothing poem. Like yoga.

Comment #17 by Anonymous on January 30, 2010 - 6:31pm

very nice lines!!!
I love your poem!
best regards,

Comment #18 by Bill on February 1, 2010 - 5:23pm

Marvellous, if only ....

"burn above us, sealing us together,
all our cities twin cities,
all our states united, one
nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

Sounds like a great anthem for 2010.

Comment #19 by Summer on February 12, 2010 - 2:52am

Though this is my favorite Sharon Olds poem, I laugh nearly every time I read “your / sun rising swiftly from the right my / sun rising swiftly from the left your / moon rising slowly from the left my / moon rising slowly from the right.” What I laugh at is how misguided Olds is in her astronomy.

Comment #20 by Twin XL on February 12, 2010 - 3:00pm

Wonderful poem, thanks for sharing!

Comment #21 by Raleigh fence on February 12, 2010 - 7:35pm

Very impressive! I would be interested in seeing some more from this author. Can we expect regular publishings?

Comment #22 by game downloads on February 15, 2010 - 8:22pm

Thanks a lot for sharing :) Was a good read

Comment #23 by DR.Ervin on February 15, 2010 - 9:10pm

This is a very powerful piece. You make your point.

Comment #24 by Free Beats on February 16, 2010 - 1:27am

very nice poem, cant wait for more.

Comment #25 by panic disorder treatment on February 16, 2010 - 2:11am

Awe I really Love this poem. Thanks so much for Sharing

Comment #26 by jackie on February 16, 2010 - 12:48pm

Nice and interesting site. I like it

Comment #27 by funny on February 16, 2010 - 7:26pm

A truly beautiful poem. Very powerful and moving.

Comment #28 by kanishk on February 17, 2010 - 8:10am

Wonderful poem, thanks for sharing!
Your blog is a place of peace and hope and it is appreciated.
antalya homes

Comment #29 by dish network on February 17, 2010 - 6:21pm

Beautiful! This one is for New Year. How about Valentine's day? Another poem?

Comment #30 by Score Sense on February 17, 2010 - 9:20pm

Love the poem!

Comment #31 by chris on February 18, 2010 - 12:33am

awesome, very beautiful prose

Comment #32 by Anonymous on February 18, 2010 - 5:21pm

Sorry to buck the agreement club chorus up top but come on... more like pretentious saccharine 'patriotism' with some unintentionally comedic lines. The 'dreaming of mythic America' motif has walked the continues to walk the US up more than a few blind allies. Behind the rhapsodic vision is some really nasty shit in the great ole US of A. Even tea party racists know how to get starry eyed. Wake-up time!

Comment #33 by Auto Racing News on February 19, 2010 - 10:52am

I was touched to read it, it's beautiful

Comment #34 by Toronto Colocation on February 19, 2010 - 5:59pm

Great poem. My wife is an avid poem fan. Will pass the blog info over.

Thanks.

Comment #35 by Film Documentary on February 19, 2010 - 8:04pm

I feelt very touched about this poem it, thank you for reading. it.

Comment #36 by Heating Oil Braintree on February 22, 2010 - 5:53am

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Comment #37 by Dave on February 22, 2010 - 6:30pm

Beautiful only begins to describe this poem!

Comment #38 by Andrew on February 24, 2010 - 12:11pm

Great poem! I wish i could do same thing.

Comment #39 by acompanhantes on February 24, 2010 - 7:23pm

I really enjoyed your article, I tweet!

Comment #40 by sagar rai on February 25, 2010 - 4:56am

Nice poem thanks for sharing it

Comment #41 by roy on February 25, 2010 - 5:33am

Nice post with poem enjoyed it

Comment #42 by USA finder on February 25, 2010 - 5:45am

Yuppi.... Very cool! "my New Orleans deep in your Texas" - found that quite funny. A truly beautiful poem. Very powerful and moving.

Comment #43 by darbuka matt on February 25, 2010 - 6:12am

NIce vision!) Great photos too.

Comment #44 by nada on February 25, 2010 - 8:00pm

it is so beautiful poem
how can you creat such poem

cheers
telecom and mobile internet

Comment #45 by edu link building on February 26, 2010 - 7:31am

Very cool! I particularly like the line: "my New Orleans deep in your Texas" - found that quite funny.

Comment #46 by Dating Sites Reviews on February 26, 2010 - 5:46pm

Very thoughtful and delicate poem, particularly liked the opening sentence...
''like maps laid face to face...''

Comment #47 by Women's Hunting Clothing on February 27, 2010 - 3:02pm

Hehe, very interesting poem indeed. Got a good chuckle from it. Thanks for sharing!

Comment #48 by MLM Training on February 28, 2010 - 6:58pm

Thanks a lot for sharing :) Was a good read.

Regards.

Comment #49 by funny t shirt on March 2, 2010 - 11:11am

great poem, keats like!

Comment #50 by PAW1300T 7V on March 7, 2010 - 1:56pm

That's a beautiful poem! Thanks for posting it. Made me google Sharon Olds for more ;)

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