Tags
"A Sunset to Remember", "Fire in the Earth", "Self Portrait", art, David Whyte, Maurice Sapiro, poetry
A Sunset to Remember by Maurice Sapiro
Self Portrait
by David Whyte
It doesn’t interest me if there is one God
or many gods.
I want to know if you belong or feel
abandoned.
If you know despair or can see it in others.
I want to know
if you are prepared to live in the world
with its harsh need
to change you. If you can look back
with firm eyes
saying this is where I stand. I want to know
if you know
how to melt into that fierce heat of living
falling toward
the center of your longing. I want to know
if you are willing
to live, day by day, with the consequence of love
and the bitter
unwanted passion of your sure defeat.
I have been told, in that fierce embrace, even
the gods speak of God.
From “Fire in the Earth”
It’s such a pleasure to find poetry and art that come together to speak the very thing you need to say, the very thing that captures you, where you are, now, this minute. My deep gratitude to poets and artists everywhere, and today, especially to these two. You can find more of their work at these links.
Deborah J. Brasket 
…. the painting is fiercely beautiful and some poems are so much more than words. I’ll remember this one. Thank you!
Thank you–I so agree!
Reblogged this on wiselpress and commented:
رائع
Thank you for reblogging!
Deb, on the left of the painting, you have my name miss=spelled. Other wise, thanks!
Thank you for pointing that out! I found it in the tags and fixed it. Hope some of my followers follow you there.
Thanks, and yes, I am being followed.
The painting is stunning, and the words are just lovely. Thanks for the links. I’ll definitely have to check them out. 🙂
Yes, I think so too! Thanks Alex–you’ll enjoy the links.
Wonderful poem. Thank you – so glad I found it just now.
Thanks, Helen. Glad you found it too.
What a fantastic combination of word, image… and inspirational posting! Thanks.
I’m happy you liked it! So glad you stopped by.
Deborah, thank you for sharing. Love this poem … especially the first two sentences
I’m glad you enjoyed. I agree–those first two line are knock-outs.
Wow. That painting is captivating but I must say it’s the poem that has really gotten to me, especially the line “If you can look back with firm eyes saying this is where I stand.”
Yes, I love that line too. So glad to see you here. Thanks for coming.