I dug this out a few days ago. It originally appeared in SPSM&H (perhaps in 1986?), a publication devoted to sonnets. It’s interesting to look at these old poems. Some seem to have been written by a stranger, long ago and far, far away. This one somehow seems closer.
Apricot Wood
I built a frame of apricot
wood. This was for you. The clouds float
through it even as I sleep. You wrote
once of wild herbs gathered and brought
to a lovely girl, an offering not
of passion but of some remote
desire to hear a word from the throat
of the Lord Within Clouds. I thought
of this as I chiseled the wood.
Last night it rained. I listened to
it from my bed by the open
window, hoping that the clouds would
not leave. This morning two birds flew
by. It is raining again.
O at the Edges 
The punctuation is really interesting in this poem, and I think I quite like it! It gives a completely different tone a rhythm to the poem which you don’t often find in newer poetry – Thank you for sharing 🙂
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That may be a function of attempting to use the Petrarchan rhyme scheme while blending Asian influences into the text. But I’m glad you like it!
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This is a beautiful love poem. Thanks for finding my writing blog. I’ll read more of your poetry now. SD
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i like the way you say “hoping that the clouds would not leave.” it’s counter-intuitive to most people’s attitude towards weather, and shows the practicality of a zen-like approach to life, taking whatever comes as it comes, instead of trying to run away from it, as most of us waste too much of our energy doing (at least i know i do!). thanks for liking my blog piece.
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love it!
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beautiful!
Thanks for subscribing to my site. Eddie
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A beautiful word picture of an act of love, the chiseling of the wood frame. Thank you for liking my recent blog post-it gave me the opportunity to read your lovely poetry.
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Beautiful poem! I could really visualize someone chiseling wood and thinking of their loved one. The juxtaposition of Nature and love is subtle and intriguing. Thank you for visiting our blog as well.
Have a great week! 🙂
Cheers!
-The Curiosity Magazine Team
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