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This photo is of The Roofless Church, a world famous church in New Harmony, IN. The dome here is part of a beautiful walled 8 acre open space and Jane Blaffer Owen got press in the NYT for her amazing dream come true. Notice anything strange in this photo? And who's that young guy? Photo Credit: James K. Mellow, St. Louis MO

Aug 11, 2023

MLK Park and a Wedding!

 



Aimless Love

                Billy Collins

Aimless Love  ~  July 29, 2023 ~ #2 improved

          Karen Chadwick

                                                                                          

This morning as I walked along the lakeshore,

I fell in love with a wren

And later in the day with a mouse

The cat had dropped under the dining room table.

*  *  *  *



This morning as I walked into MLK Park,

I fell in love with a rabbit munching grass

And later with that Tom Small smile

Flashed along the way as he entered.

*  *  *  *



In the shadows of an autumn evening,

I fell for a seamstress

Still at her machine in the tailor’s window,

And later for a bowl of broth,

Steam rising like smoke from a naval battle.

*  *  *  *

No shadow in the full sun, only love glow

Through faces to see beauty

With the natives plants, and oh, that Reinertson sculpture

Rising, Dr. King, walk quickly, your time is short

Can I love a piece of bronze? Yes

*  *  *  *



This is the best kind of love, I thought,

Without recompense, without gifts,

Or unkind words, without suspicion,

Or silence on the telephone.

*  *  *  *

Easy Love, so full, so now

No buying, no rejection, no boundaries

No jealousies, no cold shoulder,

Simply love those early ones then

Them on time…

*  *  *  *



The love of the chestnut,

The jazz cap and one hand on the wheel

*  *  *  *

The love of the now, miracle,

I’m where I’m supposed to be.

*  *  *  *



No lust, no slam of the door—

The love of the miniature orange tree,

The clean white shirt, the hot evening shower,

The highway that cuts across Florida.

*  *  *  *

No hard anger from that side eye,

Easy love of Brenn art rocks,

Now love to see them loving

That sculpture, Jay’Don snapping pics.

*  *  *  *




No waiting, no huffiness, or rancor - -

Just a twinge every now and then

For the wren who had built her nest

On a low branch overhanging the water

And for the dead mouse,

Still dressed in its light brown suit.

*  *  *  *

The sculpture, American history not to love,

But this art, this matters, and love

Shines through the ugly

On we go, where are the plants?

They bring ancient legacy to now,

Easy to love a wild petunia.

*  *  *  *




But my heart is always propped up

In a field on its tripod,

Ready for the next arrow.

*  *  *  *

MLK Park, Wild Ones, so much to love

And now to a wedding,

Oh Happy Day, open heart,

Get joy, got it!

*  *  *  *

After I carried the mouse by the tail

To a pile of leaves in the woods,

I found myself standing at the bathroom sink

Gazing down affectionately at the soap.

*  *  *  *

Offerings, drinks, more drinks, more sun

My heart was heavy with love for the day,

Is it permissible to love a tie? I did.

*  *  *  *

So patient and soluble,

So at home in its pale green soap dish.

I could feel myself falling again

As I felt its turning in my wet hands

And caught the scent of lavender and stone.

*  *  *  *

Blue on black, lots of blue, shades of blue,

Tic tic tie blue blue blue my eyes love too

It wants nothing, only to show it’s bling

Here I am.

Bonus: How many can say they live in a ‘zoo?




Gratitude to the photographers:

MLK Park: Jay’Don Kelley  -  -  J Kelley <jdkelleyphotography@gmail.com

Wedding: -  -  @MadeleineBellare (Facebook) or @maddiegrace_photo (Instagram)


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