The Language of Stars QUOTES

1 " How long would our poem be?
How much would it weigh?
The first verse would be yours, of course−
Age before beauty, you'd say.

You would not rush so much as crest,
a wave that spreads and breaks
across the eyes and ears to fill
some deeper, inner space.

The next verse would be mine,
self-conscious, yes, it's true,
and full of fits and starts
but bits of music too.

Would we share some lines then,
just we two?
Here's a place for my words;
here, only yours will do,

And would it matter, really,
after all is said and done,
who made which piece of glory?
Who, this moon? Who, that sun?

The pen drops from my hand,
but there's still more to say.
So I must write our final line,
which is simply
stay. "

― Louise Hawes , The Language of Stars

3 " Lamium

Migraine dreams, jagged seams,
A badge of love and pain.
Or dreamy eyes, sleepy eyes,
Drooping, closing, losing light.
Packages scattered under the tree,
Some torn open, some tied tight.

Is there a heartbeat in those purple veins?
Are those embryos or mouths or rosary beads?
The color of my first dress, gathered with love,
Fairy cups stirred with blades of grass,
notes clustered on a windy score,
Three blooms, three friends, alas!

Grape flowers, cloud flowers, love flowers,
Paper parasols upside down, a butterfly herd
Stopped to rest by a deep green pool.
Petals small as a child's tears good-bye,
Dropped stitches everywhere
From a blanket the color of sky. "

― Louise Hawes , The Language of Stars

5 " For Margaret

Some people laugh
ha-ha-ha.
Other people put
their hands on their mouths
he-he-he.
In the department stores
Santa laughs
ho-ho-ho.
But this girl I know−
okay, this girl I'm crazy for
laughs like an envelope
tearing open and good stuff
spilling out. "

― Louise Hawes , The Language of Stars