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TIMELINE: New Poem by Todd Swift

TIMELINE

I loved the moon
Then they invented fire
I loved water
Then they invented steel
I loved air
Then they invented song
I loved the ground
Then they invented walls

And all these new things
Took my heart away
So I loved them more
And loved the old ones less
As a suitor’s heart sinks
At the sight of a sister’s dress
And how it clings softly

I loved The Word
Then they made the press
I loved the poem
Then they made the book
I loved the film
Then they made radio
I loved The Shadow
Then they made TV

And all these new things
Took my heart away
So I loved them more
And loved the old ones less
As a suitor’s heart sinks
At the sight of a sister’s dress
And how it clings softly

I loved the box set
Then they gave us games
I loved the joystick
Then they gave us Internet
I loved facebook
Then they gave us apps
I loved tweeting
Then they gave us Tinder

And all these new things
Took my heart away
So I loved them more
And loved the old ones less
As a suitor’s heart sinks
At the sight of a sister’s dress
And how it clings softly

Moon, fire, water, steel,
Air, song, ground, walls,
Word, press, poem, book,
Film, radio, Shadow, TV
Box set, games, joystick, Internet
Facebook, apps, tweeting, Tinder

I loved them all, tenderly,
As each broke and fell and gave
Way to the following wave,
And the beach is littered
With what I forgot to save
And recall, and all I loved

Fit best in the palm of my eye,
In the corn of a stalking poem,
In the ray of the green sun,
The first beam that was undone
When shade as intercession
Moved between the lover

And the making hand
On the wall where blood
And paste dyed caves human:
Image makes heaven
Descend and a fearless angel
Lie down with the uncombed lion

And all these new things
Took my heart away
So I loved them more
And loved the old ones less
As a suitor’s heart sinks
At the sight of a sister’s dress

And how it clings softly


poem by Todd Swift, copyright 2014
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