to the small poem and the quiet voice within

leonard cirino | sequence after su tung-p’o

Oriental Woman | Watercolor by Norbert Blei

Sequence After Su Tung-p’o

by

Leonard Cirino

Off to the north, plums
purple, some still green, the sweet
odors call me home

Walking east, the wind
in my face. Tears down cheeks, one
hill and then the next.

Mockingbirds on lines,
what jokes progress makes. They call,
jest, make fun of us.

Insects spoon while one
spins a web like a girl sings
her laments of love.

Things to be loved, you,
and the fruits of life, never
acknowledged or named.

I wanted to pen
verses for you, but instead
my heart broke open.

Where can I walk off
my cold, lost thoughts when we’re one
thousand miles apart?

8 Comments

  1. Jackie

    wonderful painting and poems. You made my day.

  2. R D Armstrong

    Leno is one of the unsung geniuses of poetry!

  3. Hatto Fischer

    That reminds me of the Plum poems to be found in George Crane’s ‘Beyond the House of the False Lama’.

  4. Barbara Vroman

    The painting is exquisite. The words…convey the inevitable
    joy-pain of romantic love.

  5. Tim Stone

    We have all been there.

  6. Phil Hansotia

    A universal love song in oriental garb. I particularly like the stanza “Things to be loved, you,
    and the fruits of life, never
    acknowledged or named.’
    Thank you. Phil Hansotia

  7. Ava Hayes

    We lost Leonard to inoperable liver cancer one week ago, on 3/9.

    He has been my partner, lover, best friend and teacher for the past ten years.

    This beautiful treatment of his work with Norbert’s exquisite art has comforted me greatly. Thank you so very much for honoring him this way.

    Gratefully,
    Ava Hayes

  8. Ron Hagg

    What a truly beautiful poem and the water color is very touching. Thank you so much for sharing.
    ron hagg

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