Says love...

Poems.  They always make me nervous.  I just assume I won't get the "real message".  Sometimes, I get lost in the metaphor, which in itself is ironic considering how metaphoric I often get myself.  If I read a difficult poem again and again, it may begin to speak to me.  But most times, I never give it that chance, primarily because I have already decided that I don't get poems.

Having said that, I do love good poetry.  Anyone who knows me well knows how important the lyrics of a song are to me.  I have also, a long time ago, written some Urdu couplets, known as sher or shayari in Urdu.  So it's not that I don't get poetry at all; I suppose the medium may have something to do with it.  And perhaps language.  I find I'm more comfortable with Hindi/Urdu poetry than English.  English is, after all, my second language.

Obviously then, I've never intentionally "read" poetry.  I have never bought poetry books.  Anything I may have I probably got in a garage sale back when I didn't really know what it was that I enjoyed reading most.  Even hearing someone read a poem - I capture only parts of it.  Often I'm unable to visualize or relate to what's being read.  I struggle to stay with the poem.  I forgive myself now for it, but until recently that used to frustrate me a little!

So, when a new friend from my writing workshop, The Moving Pen, told me about a German poet, Erich Fried, I didn't think much of it.  She sent me a link to the English translations of some of his poems.  She said one of them was about the expression that is also the title of my blog.  Here's the poem:

What it is

It is nonsense
says reason
it is what it is
says love

It is misfortune
says calculation
It is nothing but pain
says fear
It is hopeless
says insight
It is what it is
says love

It is ridiculous
says pride
It is careless
says caution
It is impossible
says experience
It is what it is
says love 

Sigh!!  If you know me, you'd have some idea of how that made me feel! :))  It was such a refreshing reminder that poetry doesn't have to be a play on complex, rarely used words - it can be simple, and still have depth nonetheless! 

Thanks Jess! :)