Poem of the Day

First Hour by Sharon Olds

11. June 2009, 19:48 Uhrsharon oldsrinabeana

I found this one in 180 More. Not all of Sharon Olds’ poems appeal to me because they can be a bit blunt and/or graphic for my tastes. I found this one interesting, though.

First Hour
By Sharon Olds

That hour, I was most myself. I had shrugged
my mother slowly off, I lay there
taking my first breaths, as if
the air of the room was blowing me
like a bubble. All I had to do
was go out along the line of my gaze and back,
feeling gravity, silk, the
pressure of the air a caress, smelling on
myself her creamy blood. The air
was softly touching my skin and mouth,
entering me and drawing forth the little
sighs I did not know as mine.
I was not afraid. I lay in the quiet
and looked, and did the wordless thought,
my mind was getting its oxygen
direct, the rich mix by mouth.
I hated no one. I gazed and gazed,
and everything was interesting, I was
free, not yet in love, I did not
belong to anyone, I had drunk
no milk yet—no one had
my heart. I was not very human. I did not
know there was anyone else. I lay
like a god, for an hour, then they came for me
and took me to my mother.

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5 comments:

emerson, 18. June 2009, 20:43

Interesting…
I like Twinkle Twinkle Little Bat - Lewis Carroll and The Lily by William Blake is short but lovely.
H., 23. June 2009, 20:41

Thanks for this one….Here is a link to a short film based on “Emily Dickinson and Elvis Presley in Heaven”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naa3oK4zWxQ
emerson, 3. August 2009, 21:34

I miss the poems, when are you coming back?
rinabeana, 26. September 2009, 11:18

Emerson,

Thanks for the recommendations! Also, thank you for commenting even when I was on hiatus. I miss the poems, too, so I think it’s time to put in the effort to start posting again.
rinabeana, 26. September 2009, 12:29

Dr. Ostrom,

Thanks for commenting! I love the YouTube video for your poem, and I appreciate you bringing it to my attention.