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Tuesday, October 21, 2008

ABC Wednesday--ironing day

ABC Wednesday arrived with N as the letter of the week. I'm a little late but don't want to miss adding my favorite N. . .N for Pablo Neruda, a poet I enjoy reading. I've added one short poem below with a 'white' motif and some photos to illustrate his words. You can mouse -over Neruda's photo for a biography of his very interesting life.


ODE to IRONING

Poetry is white
it comes dripping out of the water
it gets wrinkled and piles up
We have to stretch out the skin of this planet
We have to iron the sea in its whiteness
The hands go on and on
and so things are made
the hands make the world every day
fire unites with steel
linen, canvas and calico come back from
combat in the laundry and from the light
a dove is born
purity comes back from the soap suds.

[ Translated by Jodey Bateman]
Visit Mrs Nesbitt here to see more varied and wonderful N posts.

16 comments:

DeniseinVA said...

Enjoyed your post very much, the photos and the poetry. Lovely!

Richard Lawry said...

I had never read a poem about ironing, but i can't say that anymore.

Bear Naked said...

Lovely poetry but I must say I love the polar bear photo. LOL

Bear((( )))

anno said...

Any poem by Neruda will make my day. Thanks for posting this! Love the polar bear, too!

Dragonstar said...

I hate ironing! So a poem about it - really odd! I hadn't heard of Neruda, so it's great to learn. Thank you.
The photos are beautiful, too.

Anonymous said...

I don't know Meruda at all. The name of course but not the work. Like Borges or Lorca - aware but not familiar.
I do, at least, know photography reasonably well - and I like that last picture very much.

Strider said...

My wife hates to iron.....so, she pulls clothes out of dryer right after it turns off.

Neva said...

I love your "N" post! I love seeing what every one comes up with!!!

Leslie: said...

Oh my! I really enjoyed that poem!

And YES Acadia IS where Evangeline was from. I didn't write about her because I thought my post was far long enough! :D

SandyCarlson said...

Noni,
I LOVE Neruda and teach with his works whenever I can. This is a gem. And so are your photos. God bless, friend.

Granny Smith said...

You chose one of my favorite poets, and a lovely poem in translation. (I'm particular about translations since so much depends on the translator.) And what's not to love about the polar bear.

xxxx

Liz Hinds said...

I shall look differently on my ironing in future!

Columbo said...

I enjoyed the poem and the photos. Great post for ABC Wednesday "N".

Christy Woolum said...

I just read this poem also as I am reading all the books of his now I can get my hands on. Have you read "Odes to Opposites". I am loving that right now. The "Girls" book is waiting at the library for me. I hope to pick it up Saturday.

Brian said...

Very enjoyable, lovely peotry and photo

Kim from Hiraeth said...

The photo of the white moth is very beautiful!