Congratulations to Rita Dove, who received the annual Wallace Stevens Award last week from the Academy of American Poets
In celebration, let's enjoy her poem praising something I hold near and dear to my heart. (With special thanks to Ron Charles at the Washington Post).
Chocolate
Velvet fruit, exquisite square
I hold up to sniff
between finger and thumb—
I hold up to sniff
between finger and thumb—
how you numb me
with your rich attentions!
If I don’t eat you quickly,
with your rich attentions!
If I don’t eat you quickly,
you’ll melt in my palm.
Pleasure seeker, if I let you
you’d liquefy everywhere.
Pleasure seeker, if I let you
you’d liquefy everywhere.
Knotted smoke, dark punch
of earth and night and leaf,
for a taste of you
of earth and night and leaf,
for a taste of you
any woman would gladly
crumble to ruin.
Enough chatter: I am ready
crumble to ruin.
Enough chatter: I am ready
to fall in love!
by Rita Dove
From American Smooth, 2004 (W.W. Norton)
