'Ode to the Handsome Swede' (wedding poem) (Tim Kavi's VALENTINES BE MINE FOR NINE: Posting 4)

Ode to the Handsome Swede

by Tim Kavi

humming a sweet song

the poetry 

keeps flowing

when across the green hills of Sweden

the wedding party

was going

your sweet melodies

the wind is blowing

bringing sweet incense of perfume

innocence of love

when your smile lit the room

the handsome Swede

was smiling too

as your love

filled 

the happy groom

thoughts of peace

and no more

empty homes

two hearts

turned towards

love

and dispelled

the lonely glooms

the handsome Swede

hummed

existential songs

his new bride

had come home

she made ready

a gown of red

adorned

in Chinese love

traditions

had been met

and yet

there was

still

the promise

of even more

for all the glories

their love had

in store

for all the stories

could never be sold

in thousands

of novels

of myths

and legends

every time

their love was told

you see it seems

simple

but no love ever is

they found each other

and that's all

the mystery 'tis

two hearts

thought they had been

left

only to find the other

behind the veil's

cleft

a great love

with wings

flew to him

the handsome Swede

said

and for all

this there

was destiny

forever

plainly read.

Poet's Afterword--For Posting 4 of my VALENTINES BE MINE FOR NINE daily blogging event to celebrate Valentine's Day we have another wedding poem. This poem celebrates a wedding between two very special friends of mine.  It was originally a private poem for the two of them, but  'reappears' here in my blog by their permission.  I know you will join me in congratulating the happy couple, who exemplify a wonderful destination of love--a cross cultural and happy marriage across two of the kindest hearts I've ever known.~~T.K.

SubWay GoDDess (Story Poem)

SubWay

GoDDess

a story poem

by Tim Kavi



based on a true
encounter

on the subway
Line 11 Shanghai
somewhere between
Fengqiao Lu
and West Shanghai Railway
Station

I saw Her
a true Chinese Goddess
she glowed
like divinity
and smiled like a happy
Tara dancing
in the sundown
moments of a busy day

in her face
showed the happy promises
of a true beauty
in love with life

this incarnation
was a beautiful woman
and she looked away
like all are prone
to do

not to stare at a
foreigner
even though green
eyes are so different
when they are sparkling blue

but then she stared
and stared
at her reflection
in the subway
door--glassy windowed
reflections

revealed her beauty
from glory to glory
she primped her hair
adjusted her clothing
shifted from foot to foot

and smiled
like she was enlightened
anew
knowing something
the rest of us
never knew

I tried not to look
at her glory
not wanting to be blinded
by her light
only to face a lonely
Shanghai night

but I couldn't help looking
she was so pretty
I thought what girl is this
to look so long at her own reflections
and give herself a narcissistic kiss?
and so many smiles to herself?

soon the train
arrived at West Shanghai Railway Station
and I was struck with destiny
and evening undulations
as we both got off
having other trains to catch
to spiritual destinations

I drew nigh
and bravely spoke
Don't Worry, you are still
very beautiful
I said

She laughed
and turned and smiled
and said
I wasn't looking at me
but I was looking at you!

My face reddened
in realization
I too had been spied
looking in the glassy
reflections of encounter
Divine Revelation

And I speak English
she said
My name is Na
and I'm a famous writer!

I laughed
and She did too.

Saying, what's so funny?
I said, I'm a writer too
an infamous one!

we both laughed

and exchanged numbers
as we had other trains to
catch

but soon we chattered
and met each other
life now mattered

even in the subway lessons
of an encounter
Her love
rescued me

as I came to know Her
we often laughed
and smiled at the happy
destiny

that found
two hearts that had
been searching
riding to destinies untold

to find one; entwined
as love did enfold
in the eternal hereafter.

Butterfly Lovers and the Legend of Liang Zhu (Essay)

"Butterfly Lovers and the Legend of Liang Zhu" (Essay)
by Tim Kavi

In my poetry, the image and symbol of the butterfly, and its predecessor, the chrysalis (or cocoon) is a recurrent theme. To me, as a Westerner, these symbols often personalize  personal development, change, and metamorphosis.  Butterflies are also seen as beautiful winged creatures. To me, many times, the symbol of the butterfly is a flight to freedom and a discovery of our beautiful natures. In any regard, let me simply say that the winged flight of a butterfly is a symbol of a flight to freedom.  Perhaps it is the freedom to be what we always wanted to be, and is therefore a flight to acceptance and being.

In the case of a pair of butterflies, perhaps we have the acceptance of this freedom to be with another, but there are other ways to view this beautiful symbolism of butterflies together and to accept the flight of butterfly lovers.

In the ancient Chinese legend of Liang Zhu which has also been called the 'Oriental Romeo and Juliet', we have a remarkable Chinese folktale from the Jin Dynasty which was about 1600 years ago.  This legend which most school kids learn about in China, has birthed a number of inspirational works including, operas,
concertos, literature, and art.

The story goes like this. In order to pursue her studies, Zhu Yongtai disguised herself as a man.  Over the next three years of study, she fell in love with her fellow student, Liang Shanbo. The legend has it that she admired his intellectual capabilities.  During this time, and up until it was time to leave the school, she kept dropping hints to him, but he missed their meaning. Later, after realizing Zhu Yongtai's intentions, he went speedily to her family to propose marriage. Unfortunately, her father had already betrothed her to another man, which was a grave disappointment to Shanbo.  He became sickly, and after several incidents of illness, he died.  Later, on the day of her wedding, Zhu Yongtai  was riding in  her processional cart (some accounts say boat), and she decided to pay a memorial to Shanbo at his tomb.  It was very windy and there were thunderstorms.  The storms caused the tomb to open up.  Yongtai then lept into the tomb to be with her lover.  Later, they transformed into a pair of beautifully colored butterflies, and flew out of the tomb wing to wing together, and headed towards a rainbowed sky.

A beautiful and touching story.  The Legend of Liang Zhu is another example of beautiful transformation, acceptance, and becoming transfigured beings--in this case the jump and flight into a true love across a rainbow draped sky.~~TK 

Ode to the Handsome Swede (Special Poem from 2011)

Ode to the Handsome Swede
by Tim Kavi

humming a sweet song

the poetry 

keeps flowing

when across the green hills of Sweden

the wedding party

was going

your sweet melodies

the wind is blowing

bringing sweet incense of perfume

innocence of love

when your smile lit the room

the handsome Swede

was smiling too

as your love

filled 

the happy groom

thoughts of peace

and no more

empty homes

two hearts

turned towards

love

and dispelled

the lonely glooms

the handsome Swede

hummed

existential songs

his new bride

had come home

she made ready

a gown of red

adorned

in Chinese love

traditions

had been met

and yet

there was

still

the promise

of even more

for all the glories

their love had

in store

for all the stories

could never be sold

in thousands

of novels

of myths

and legends

every time

their love was told

you see it seems

simple

but no love ever is

they found each other

and that's all

the mystery 'tis

two hearts

thought they had been

left

only to find the other

behind the veil's

cleft

a great love

with wings

flew to him

the handsome Swede

said

and for all

this there

was destiny

forever

plainly read.

Poet's Afterword--this poem celebrates a wedding between two very special friends of mine.  It was originally a private poem for the two of them, but  'reappears' here in my blog by their permission.  I know you will join me in congratulating the happy couple, who exemplify a wonderful destination of love--a cross cultural and happy marriage across two of the kindest hearts I've ever known.~~T.K.

China, she is sleeping (new poem)

China, she is sleeping

by Tim Kavi

lovely my dear

she lies sleeping

I hear the music of China

in her beating heart

and when the sun rises

her love guides my

daily start

and when she walks

her graceful steps

alight

like all the goddesses

in stellar flight

but when she smiles

it is always

approving

in her gentle

loving

love is

proving

to be the essence

of all she is

Chinese woman

appearing.

sea breeze (new poem)

sea breeze

by Tim Kavi

sea breeze

gentle rose fragrance

goddess gowns

dance in soft caress

midnight romance

her smile

said to approach

her

I moved quickly

it might be the only

and last chance

sweet Chinese eyes

lapped in starlight

shone in her love

she sighed

and the waves crashed

her gown flapped

in the breeze

I beheld her beauty

I turned to kiss her

and it was your smile that met

my lips.

Beyond Dreams (new poem)

Beyond Dreams
by Tim Kavi

shadows
in dancing fire
ethereal breeze
in night
hoots of owl
well lit moon
blinded his sight

she moved
among the shadows
he was looking
for her
resting after
a long search

goddess moved
closer
he breathed
evenly
but his heart
increased

she walked
into the meadow
her gown
was white
he saw her
sculpted body
under it

her face was
veiled
he sighed
but knew not
to call out

she came closely
her eyes darting
like Ma Durga
Yet they were Chinese

he cautiously
removed her veil
they kissed
like he had never
kissed
and loved
like he never
knew

in the dawning
mist she arose
and went out
he awoke
and spoke
and thought
that he had dreamed
the goddess

but when he
wandered around
the next bend
she was there

waiting for him

shining in the
brilliance
of an ordinary woman
yet he knew
this
was his goddess
on the faces
of women everywhere

and especially
on this one
his lovely love!