Tom Waits And Mary Oliver Poem by Uriah Hamilton
Tom Waits And Mary Oliver
I normally do not remember dreams
That assail me when I sleep,
I normally do not want to;
And when I do remember them,
I tend to wake up in fear and trembling
Because the same God who terrorizes me in the day
With loneliness and depression
Frightens me at night
With heartbreaking images
Of relationships breaking
As violently as windows in a hurricane
Or with tender memories of lovely cats and a golden retriever
Who have long ago entered the grave;
I awake in tears and look under my bed
For my cherished and perished pets.
But two weeks ago, I had a dream that felt like a vision,
It was as clear as the azure sky
And it awakened me instantly like my mother’s voice
Calling to me to get ready for school when I was a small boy.
In the dream, I was doing my favorite activity,
Listening to music, playing one disc after another.
I first played something by Lucinda Williams,
I then put on an album by Tom Waits:
Tom sang with a crystalline clarity that his voice in real life would never allow
And he sang, “Mary Oliver was looking for a husband
But found a poet.”
This line has been running ceaselessly through my mind ever since,
I’d tell it to Mary if I could find her.
'...looking for a husband but found a poet.' She may have been better off, you know. Tom Waits - loved him since I was a kid. Peace, Uriah...
Great image of the hurricane smashing windows. Also a big fan of Tom Waits.
Oh! And Patti Smith too; I believe that she and Tom Waits had an understanding that was broken, which in turn broke her... I'll have to read up on Mary Oliver. I've only just heard Leonard Cohen; his voice is something else. My second post on this poem, but I had to mention P. S.
u know what i always say i have never dreamed and i will never but this line reminded me that it is not cos i don't dream it is cos i don't remember but...i ain't sure anyways... ....An ExtraOrdinary poem uriaH…loved it one of ur greatest pieces yet… Can’t wait to read more of ur fabulous work.. **KoNi**
You already know my feelings on this. I love it, to say the least. I've been really thinking about that line ' Mary oliver went looking for a husband, but found a poet instead' you know my affection for her poetry, but do you think it's possible you misunderstood Amberlee Carter for Mary Oliver? Just a thought... take care my friend. Always, Amberlee
I really like this poem, because, I suppose, I am the same way...I don't remember dreams because I don't want to...but isn't it odd how the occasional one is 'as clear as the azure blue sky' and stay with you. Good Description.
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
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4/23/2024 5:14:55 AM # 1.0.0.1119
a new approach on a dream poem. i love that no matter what you write it still holds true to that Uriah voice. there's always a rippling to your poems, like a stream.