The Portrait

[Mr. M]

The Portrait

 

A thousand years from now,

Just as it was a thousand years ago,

Words will have lived and died and been forgotten

And there'll be other words no one will know.

 

So, I can only hope my verse will live

Beyond that metamorphosis of word,

Leaving no confusion in its wake

Nor oddities of clarity incurred.

 

For you see, I've tried to be an artist,

And paint you upon the canvass of my pad,

So as to set the pictures of your wondrous spirit

Beside the images of love we've had.

 

Will the portrait of your love, in time, then fade

And let our love become a myth unto the ages?

Better I am gone upon that day

Than to hear the foolish words of sages.

 

But whether my words shall live or die

Or whether my canvass rots away with time,

No word shall ever justly serve

Your love and beauty in any rhyme.

 

And whether or not that's understood

And whether or not these words are seen as true,

One truth shall live beyond all words

And that's how much I'll always love you.

 

 

 

^{© 2005 by the Western Virginia Foundation for the Arts and Sciences.}

Edited May 10, 2009 by Mr. M

[Aleksandra]

What a nice stanza and very truthful:

A thousand years from now,

Just as it was a thousand years ago,

Words will have lived and died and been forgotten

And there’ll be other words no one will know.

 

This expression sounds perfect and melancholic.

Will the portrait of your love, in time, then fade

And let our love become a myth unto the ages?

 

And at the end you are proving the right sense of the poem - the subject - the message, on one so clear way:

One truth shall live beyond all words

And that’s how much I’ll always love you.

 

Michael I loved this poem

 

Thank you for sharing

 

Aleksandra

[Lake]

Mr. M,

 

This a beautifully written love poem. Very clean, well phrased. Reminded me of Edmund Spenser's One day I wrote her name upon the strand. The sentiment is deeply felt.

 

PS: what does the footnote mean? "© 2005 by the Western Virginia Foundation for the Arts and Sciences."

 

Enjoyed it very much!

 

Lake

[Mr. M]

Ah, my dear friend Aleks...

 

As always, your analytical views are quite astute and quite appreciated.

Thanks for such kind thoughts.

 

It is good to be back again among my friends...

 

(That which does not kill us, sure makes a pain for us.)

[Mr. M]

Hello Lake,

 

It is so nice to meet you. Thank you for such kind thoughts. This is one of my better poems and I appreciate that you have held it in the same regard as Spencer's. That is one of my favorites also.

 

The footnote is required as they are the publisher of my book. I didn't necessarily wish to use this venue as an opportunity to plug this book so this information was omitted. Nia and I ran into a bit of trouble on another forum where an unseen publisher was "observing" everything that was posted there; not the actions of anyone who is reputable. It was later alleged that there had been some plagerism taking place there. This is why I like Aleks's forum so much. She looks out for her members quite well.

 

Take care and God bless,

M.