Sunflowers

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._N._Taber

I love sunflowers, for real and as immortalised in art.

Today’s poem was posted on the blog in April 2009 and is repeated today especially for two Danish readers, ‘Aksel and Carin’ who share a love for the paintings of Danish impressionist Preben Rasmussen; among his paintings, their favourite is one inspired by...yes, sunflowers.

Now, I confess I’d never heard of Rasmussen, and only know of (and love) Van Gogh’s incredible sunflowers but will be on the lookout for any exhibitions of his work from now on.

Oh, but I love it when readers comment that my love poems could have been written for anyone, gay, straight or transgender; my point entirely. [Incidentally, I always include and try to reach out to lesbians among my gay readers, only can’t keep qualifying what I say; no offence intended to those lesbian readers who prefer the term ‘lesbian’ to ‘gay’.]

A love poem is a love poem, for anyone and everyone, in any language.

SUNFLOWERS

Mad caress of fingers in the hair,

bold lips lingering on mine;

bright eyes pricking every nerve,

our breaths like party wine;

beads of sweat, rolling down

each parted thigh like tears

on the face of a lost child, found

and returned home…

A rhythm in us like the quickening

pulse of a late-night disco,

cyber suns flashing in the face,

making V-signs;

fulfilment, the joy of someone

playing with a new toy...

(Even in my ecstasy, I sense, dimly,

how you’ll grow tired of me)

for now, though, joined together

like Siamese twins,

one of us destined to live out

the other’s days...

No choice. Better to die now

in a sea of passion

than while away a lifetime

in a toyshop window;

fill me then with the glorious

chaos of rebirth;

music, like sunflowers, bursting

from the earth...

Copyright R. N. Taber 2004

[From: The Third Eye by R. N. Taber, Assembly Books, 2004]