del amor tampoco o menos;
pero me pones pensar tu
si es posible mancar
lo que aún no haya tenido.
*
*
this morning the light comes
through glass as if it were
autumn, but there is no poem
in it. in english,
one can say only i miss you,
but that doesn’t cover
by half the september sun
he says i need.
in italian, mi manchi,
you are lacking to me;
a lesson in grapeskins
and empty palms.
in spanish the thing,
like autumn morning light,
gets nearer: me haces falta,
te echo de menos,
te extraño: you make me lack;
you make me less;
i miss you. like a third hand
to turn the door knob
when my arms are wrapped
around your waist.
the tenth muse 
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Lovely. The pensive feel and the struggle to find the words to convey the emotion is beautiful to read. I’m caught, breathless with longing, by the final image.
Sweet…I love the last lines…I miss you. Like a third hand to turn the door knob….
😉
“in spanish the thing,
like autumn morning light,
gets nearer: me haces falta,
te echo de menos,
te extraño: you make me lack;
you make me less;
i miss you. like a third hand
to turn the door knob
when my arms are wrapped
around your waist.”
The “I miss you” got me. with love and respect, el Moosk
and here i thought you were going to take me to task for my spanish.. 😉 thanks Mosk.
“but that doesn’t cover
by half the september sun
he says i need” … This blows my mind. Amazing.
“you are lacking to me;
a lesson in grapeskins
and empty palms” … Seriously. This is superb poetry. I am very impressed with you.
The integration of assorted languages always adds spice to a poem. Well done.
thank you; i’ve enjoyed nosing around your site, too. 🙂
Lovely! I know that morning when the light first looks like autumn.
I miss you. like a third hand
to turn the door knob
when my arms are wrapped
around your waist.
scrumptuous imagery in these lines….a great polyglot shot from the heart to pen.
Beautiful poem. There are many ideas, especially in the realm of love, of relationship, where English cannot seem to go deep enough. I love the ending… i miss you. like a third hand
to turn the door knob
when my arms are wrapped
around your waist.
Well done.
Love and feelings of fondness are sometimes elusive. But it would be good to read about them! Nicely written joanne!
Hank
a lesson in grapeskins
and empty palms…
and like a third hand to turn the doorknob when my arms are around your waist…my two favorite parts joanna….this is lovely….and sometimes there are just not the words…smiles..
thanks, b. *smiles back*
Such well-written poetry, I’d enjoy also to copy each line. they are so integrated. To pick out one is like deciding what topping to put on ice cream. I just add some of everything. And…oh yeah–I miss ya. OK? –grin!
lines like ice cream toppings… i like that! 🙂
love the feel of sweet autumn light, glowing…the feeling of emptiness, missing someone. love the closing lines…
The use of three languages to get the exact nuance, the perfect ways to say – I am incomplete without you. – Exquisitely wrought.
thank you, Gay. *blushes*
i miss you. like a third hand
to turn the door knob
when my arms are wrapped
around your waist. – Quoted for brilliance. Also, great effect on the use of multiple languages.
thanks, Wanderer. it seems people are definitely drawn to those last lines. a little strange since initially they were split by another couplet. huh. the virtue of editing, i guess. 🙂
In this context, clearly English is the loving tongue! A fine meditation on love, language and meaning.
🙂 thanks, Dick
This is just a beautiful poem. The comparisons to the different languages are themselves musical and beautiful, and then, of course, the closing lines are the kicker. Really lovely. k.
Reblogged this on glacialtides and commented:
Just discovered you J.S. and you are in my hometown.Richmond and I have pseudonym of Glacialtides here. I used to poetize and write at Blogstream, but, it went away > just saying Hello at five to midnight Work tomorrow. Iwan to folow your work and discover how I discovered you by accident. I recognized the richmond skyline Manchester Bridge…. like whatt i have read . i shall return with permission. Night Ulric Hubert Rainard on FB
Hi Ulric, nice to “meet” you! Thank you so much for your kind words & your reblogging over at glacialtides. So glad you found me on Facebook as well. It’s always nice to meet fellow Richmonders out in the world. I did not grow up here, but I think this town leaves its mark on anyone who passes through her. I take a lot of my pictures from around town, and the river. Please feel welcome to return here at the-tenth-muse anytime. 🙂 Have a wonderful day, and weekend.
–J.S.
So Joanna, I came to visit my writing barn and wandered back into yours and scrolled until I found you again… three months
passed _ I hope your life is well. i myself had a stroke last Friday morning_ out here south of Seattle, but I am recovering well,
except, that _ today; they called a code on me, when I was giving up the vials of blood for follow up tests for my new best friend, Dr. H
Ain’t life grand! I love your writing. It is wondrous. Have a wonderful day and I hope the Holidays are wonderful, too. Ulric Bye
p.s. and… It is very nice to meet you as well, and thank you for all of your contributions_To this good earth.UHR
Oh, Ulric, that’s so scary! My heart goes out to you, my friend, and I hope by the time you see this, things have stabilized and you’re doing much better. It’s simply lovely to hear from you. It is a very busy holiday season here for me with family stuff going on, a new apartment, and a lot of going up and down the road to and from Richmond. I hope your holidays are calmer! And I wish you good fortune and good health for the new year that is coming. Stay in touch!
–jsl