Image Tensed Poem by Clemente Rebora

Image Tensed

Rating: 4.5


Image tensed,
I eye the instant,
Anticipation welling—
And I expect no one;
In the lit shadows
I watch as the doorbell
Sheds its inaudible
Pollen of sound—
And I expect no one;
Within four walls
Astounded more by space
Than any desert place,
I expect no one;
But come he will,
He must, if I hold on
To bloom unseen;
He'll suddenly appear
When I am least aware:
Coming as if to forgive
All he gives to death,
Coming to assure me
Of his reward and mine,
Coming as anodyne
For my pain, for his—
Perhaps his whisper is
Already on its way.

Tuesday, July 21, 2015
Topic(s) of this poem: image
COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Chinedu Dike 25 July 2015

A well articulated piece of poetry depicting the anxiety of prolonged waiting for a lover whose whereabouts is unknown. A love poem insightfully penned from the heart. Thanks for sharing.

1 0 Reply
Fabrizio Frosini 21 July 2015

In these verse, Rebora describes his vain waiting for his beloved pianist Lydia - who had left him suddenly

5 0 Reply
Fabrizio Frosini 21 July 2015

This is the original Italian text: Dall'immagine tesa vigilo l'istante con imminenza di attesa – e non aspetto nessuno: nell'ombra accesa spio il campanello che impercettibile spande un polline di suono – e non aspetto nessuno: fra quattro mura stupefatte di spazio più che un deserto non aspetto nessuno: ma deve venire; verrà, se resisto, a sbocciare non visto, verrà d'improvviso, quando meno l'avverto: verrà quasi perdono di quanto fa morire, verrà a farmi certo del suo e mio tesoro, verrà come ristoro delle mie e sue pene, verrà, forse già viene il suo bisbiglio.

2 0 Reply
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Clemente Rebora

Clemente Rebora

Milan, Italy
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