How do I fashion this sculpture
without digging the stone from the mountain
without imagining the human form within
without touching the marble
feeling its power, its possibility
without the embrace of a lover?
But such I am called to do
in more than one promise.
The value of a pledge
holds a world of care
Philia not eros,
though the veins of the stone are real
and its edges sharp
and the dreams still
beckon.
9 thoughts on "How do I fashion this sculpture"
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
I like that there’s a deep sense of duty and affection — philia rather than eros — that compels the speaker to do the work anyway.
“The value of a pledge/holds a world of care” is such a wonderfully realized line.
It’s good to “meet” you again this year Greg! I feel years of prayer and contemplation in this poem.
wonderful expression
of the artistic bent
Gosh, the construction is masterful: the turn with the conjunction “but,” the way the last four lines amplify the first stanza, the persona of the sculptor, the tactile imagery, the one-word trochaic last line
Hot-blooded poem, Greg! I feel the hunger coursing just beneath these soft and poignant lines. Excellent.
I echo all the comments before me.
Yessss….though the veins of the stone are real
and its edges sharp
Strong emotions!
As a fellow poet and artist (though I was never patient enough for sculpture) I loved the mash up and the imagery here. Thank you for sharing your beautiful poem!