Tuesday, June 2, 2009

a poem by a friend

I am sharing how proud I am of my friend Ada. She is a poet and The New Yorker just published her poem, "Crush" in this week's issue. I think this is just a terribly beautiful poem, like many of her poems, and they made a really good choice. And I had a perfect moment when I finished reading the published copy and the world collided a little when I thought of one of my favorite photos by Traci, Three Persimmons In a Bowl. Here, I am presenting both.

Crush
by Ada Limón

Maybe my limbs are made
mostly for decoration,
like the way I feel about
persimmons. You can’t
really eat them. Or you
wouldn’t want to. If you grab
the soft skin with your fist
it somehow feels funny,
like you’ve been here
before and uncomfortable,
too, like you’d rather
squish it between your teeth
impatiently, before spitting
the soft parts back up
to linger on the tongue like
burnt sugar or guilt.
For starters, it was all
an accident, you cut
the right branch
and a sort of light
woke up underneath,
and the inedible fruit
grew dark and needy.
Think crucial hanging.
Think crayon orange.
There is one low, leaning
heart-shaped globe left
and dearest, can you
tell, I am trying
to love you less.

Link
(originally published by the New Yorker Magazine)

21 comments:

Mandarine D'Italie said...

Lovely image and congrats to your dear friend! Her poem is simply beautiful....

cindy* said...

goegoeus photo by traci and what a beautiful poem by ada!

i am always amazed by poets...i remember taking poetry writing classes in college and pretty much wanting to die when i had to share for workshop. lovely!

Unknown said...

what a beautiful poem and what an honor to be published in the New Yorker. I love it. and that photo is fabulous too...thanks for sharing, dear!

Vana said...

Love the poem...she has such a way with words! I own that print of Traci..It brightens my day everyday.

Tess Kincaid said...

Poem and image are perfectly mellow together.

Alyssa said...

wow. that is a great poem. perfect pic too :)

Elizabeth said...

Excellent poem and picture.
So fitting both of them.

Yes, a great honor to be in the New Yorker!

Cindy said...

congratulations to ada. it's a lovely poem.

erin said...

what a poem, what a friend! beautiful in every way.

Julia said...

My god, what a great poem! So poignant and... hmm, just RIGHT ON :) But, not in the dorky high school way, but rather in a powerful real way :)

Ada said...

Deb,

I adore you. Treasure you. Love you. Thanks for sharing in my joy. I love the photo, too.

Let's do our breakfast soon!

Ada

Bonbon Oiseau said...

She is something alright...you might want to pick up her book to see more...it is poetry for the womanliest of women...This big Fake World and Lucky Wreck...check B&N!

(love you too ada)

please sir said...

Wow - what an amazing combination between the photo and words. I'm so happy for your friend!

katrina and the king said...

"think crayon orange" :)

Mrs.French said...

wow...this truly made my day...I can't believe you tied my photograph to something this amazing...I am in awe...thank you my dear and congrats ada! xo t

p.s.
I talked about you on knack today...

Cannelle Et Vanille said...

beautiful image and beautiful words!

Amanda said...

Ada, this is lovely work. Congratulations! (Thanks for sharing, D!)

Nathalie said...

Ada,

Please keep writing. "fabulous" seems like such a small compliment after what you have captured in words. It leaves me hanging, and wanting more :). Congrats on the publication, and for the talent.

Nathalie

molly said...

how exciting for your friend ada and for you too! what a gorgeous poem...

molly said...

i was just reading this very issue this morning over breakfast and came across ada's poem...i smiled all over again.

poet said...

Beautiful. Beatific. Exactly thus. I wish I was as lucky with words and images... takes practice, I guess. Congratulations to your friend!

Greetings,
and it feels somehow megalomaniac to sign that way after reading this, but still -

poet