Mother's Song

Anon. (Inuit, 19th century)

it's quiet in the house so quiet
outside the snowstorm wails
the dogs curl up noses under their tails
my little son sleeps on his back
his mouth open
his belly rises and falls
breathing
is it strange if I cry for joy

Trans. Stephen Berg

I Want to Breathe

James Laughlin

I want to breathe

you in I'm not talking about
perfume or even the sweet odour

of your skin but of the
air itself I want to share

your air inhaling what you
exhale I'd like to be that

close two of us breathing
each other as one as that.

I have way, way too much love poetry stored in notebooks. Waaaaay too much. It makes me happy. I want to share. So, because it's Valentine's...

Separation

W.S. Merwin

Your absence has gone through me
Like thread through a needle
Everything I do is stitched with its color.