At dawn my thoughts of you float
from my ship, and to the waves, in spindrift lift
and sparkle, caught on gannet wings and carried–
to you, my love, to you–
across the miles, far from windswept water,
and though each day I travel farther,
I look for you on rising mountain-clouds,
and hear your voice in the wind’s chilled chatter,
telling me to bundle-tight. At night,
I rest my love on feathered down,
but sharp quills prick and write all around
my words of longing, “I want to be with you,”
to connect our heartbeats once again.
And so, I whisper questions across the knotted sea,
for the silvered-light to answer, then hear the moon’s reply,
be patient for what will come and what will end.
Your breath flows out, on a heron’s back it soars,
and hers rise on another to meet halfway–or more–
your souls may touch somewhere in space
in mist, a clinging trace–
though your bodies wait and wait, your thoughts send–
before forever, you’ll touch again.
For dVerse, where I’m hosting today. A work in progress. So many ways I could have gone with connection.
Yesterday and today: Merril's historical musings 
A beautiful love poem, Merril, that moves like a ship on waves; I love the ‘sparkle, caught on gannet wings’ and the alliteration in the wind’s ‘chilled chatter’.
Thank you so much, Kim!
I love what you’ve done with this, Merril. A poem expressing the kind of love which never dies:
‘I look for you on rising mountain-clouds,
and hear your voice in the wind’s chilled chatter,’
I especially like the final promise:
‘though your bodies wait and wait, your thoughts send–
before forever, you’ll touch again.’
Thank you so much, Ingrid. I actually started out thinking about John Winthrop and his wife Margaret. He was the first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and he left for New England first. They agreed to think of each other at 5 PM. But I didn’t want the poem to be about them. 😀
Oh my goodness! I hope they were reunited? The theme is universal, so it doesn’t have to be about them.
Oh yes, they were reunited. 😀
My goodness this is utterly breathtaking, Merril! 💝 Especially love; “I rest my love on feathered down, but sharp quills prick and write all around my words of longing.” Sigh. how I feel the emotions in this! 😍😍 Thank you for the glorious prompt!
Thank you for your kind word, Sanaa! I’m pleased you liked the poem and the prompt!
A lot! 🙂
😘
Luv the image that thoughts can float –
“across the miles, far from windswept water,”
– Keeping the lovers in touch
Thanks for dropping by to read mine
Much💖love
Thank you very much, Gillena, and you’re welcome!
I love the thought of how love can connect carried over the sea like this, but still, there is nothing that can replace that real physical connection. Maybe the longing for that is what makes the connection strong.
Thank you very much. Yes, perhaps that strong longing helps.
The bones of a glorious time travel novel….a love that transcends time. Beautiful.
Thank you so much, Beverly. A time-travel novel! Interesting. (I actually really love that genre.)
There’s an old-worldiness to this poem, like the Corot painting, misty and distant. (and we’re connected by herons).
Interesting. Perhaps because I was thinking about John Winthrop and his wife Margaret trying to connect over the miles when he left for New England. Yes, herons! 😀
You were definitely on their wavelength. I hope they heard you 🙂
I hope so, too!
🙂
Love poem, or should I say a “soul” poem? For soulmates everywhere- just amazing. 💕
Thank you so much, Pam. I hadn’t really intended to write a love poem, but that’s what happened when I connected with my thoughts. 😀
Best way to find out what’s inside of us-just letting the words flow.
Yes, sometimes that’s it. 😀
Wow! This is really beautiful, Merril.
Thank you so much, Jill!
Tis a love poem, and it has a classical feel to it, connecting both with nature and the human heart and soul. I like the sneaky way you moved from first person narrator to third person, shifting to God’s eye perhaps.
Thank you very much, Glenn.
It was the moon talking, answering. 😀
So … today I went on a voyage of your writings.
There is much to praise in your work, your words. Praise it I do.
Yet, every so often… here … there … something rings a poetic truth, known to a few.
“… And the hour between dusk and night, dawn and day”…
In film these 2 hours are called the “magic hours”.
It is a time when the camera captures special shots… magic shots … shots that make make one famous.
Your words are a camera. It has captured the magic hour.
Awwww—thank you so much, Resa! ❤️
“though your bodies wait and wait…”
There’s nothing about this work that I DON’T like, Merril. and thanks for the prompt!
Thank you so much, Ron! 😀
Ah, a sailor’s love song with the most beautiful imagery to forge a connection to his lover across the sea.
Thank you so much, Liz!
You’re welcome, Merril!
A beautiful love psalm.
Thank you!
Beautifully done Merril. I really like the descriptions of attempting to reach out across the waves. Love the painting. I did not see the woman on the shore at first!
Thank you so much, Dwight. Yes, there are a few figures on the shore. From what I read, the painting was attributed to Corot but was most likely done by one of his followers.
Interesting!
This is a very beautiful evocation of the longing to meet a beloved again.
Thank you so much, Suzanne!
oh dear. this left me breathless. such longing explained with tender and descriptive pictures. beautifully done!
What a lovely comment! Thank you so much! 💙
Stunningly beautiful. ‘and hear your voice in the wind’s chilled chatter,’ is a wonderful line among many
Thank you so much, Derrick!
We attach our yearnings to the elements, to those with wings– and I think they do carry the threads to the object of our thoughts. The language you use is both ancient and timeless. (K)
Thank you very much, Kerfe. 💙
kaykuala
though your bodies wait and wait, your thoughts send–
before forever, you’ll touch again.
Wonderful love poem Merril. It fills a void to be connected in such trying times and still hoping for good things in the close.
Hank
Thank you so much, Hank!
After all the upheaval of the past weeks …. I simply sank into the loveliness of your words. A huge huge sigh from me.
Oh, that is so very kind. Thank you, Helen!
This is a wonderful, beautiful poem of love conquering separation, Merril.
Thank you so much, Ken!
An epic love poem! This made me remember the days when my husband was far away on deployments. Very romantic✨💘😍
Thank you so much. And I’m glad you could relate to the poem!
The power of love to cross oceans and days. It is an amazing feeling to love another so deeply.
These lines spoke to me most,
“And so, I whisper questions across the knotted sea,
for the silvered-light to answer, then hear the moon’s reply,
be patient for what will come and what will end.”
Thank you for sharing this.
Thank you so much, Ali. I’m so pleased you liked the poem, and that those lines spoke to you!
a tender classical love poem reaching out over the seas … like the weaving of flight in this one, ‘wings’, ‘feathers’, ‘herons’! Very reminiscent of life before high tech
Thank you so much. Yes, I was definitely thinking of people in other times.
well done and thanks for a great prompt!
You’re very welcome!
Oh yes. This is so beautiful. Love across the miles (be it oceans or terrain) – I so get it. Wonderfully done.
Thank you so much, Dale. ❤️
💞
I so love the passage of time as if it were nothing yet everything, if one waits it is worth it and nothing is lost, beautiful.
Thank you, Paul.
My pleasure Merril