Lawrence Ferlinghetti – [Heaven was only half as far that night]

One Hundred and Eighty Eight 11.8.16

Words:

When it comes to the clouds, sometimes, all you can do is look at them and feel an immense love for them from a distance even if you won’t be able to touch them – maybe ever – You still would love a lazy cloud hanging in the sky. A cloud far from your reach as your eyes watch it pass through the vast blue sky untroubled by humanly sufferings and noisy streets. And then there comes a time when a particular cloud is half as far as the other ones, and sometimes it sits across the table from you in a cafe reading a thick novel and wearing a cozy sweater. A cloud with flaming red hair, small eyes, dimples full of rain. And looking at it you look at a perpetual sunset happening. Beautiful, sad, cliche, and you want your heart to be broken and never closed again. You still don’t get to touch that cloud, but it’s nice to know you are closer to it, maybe you take a deep breath, look at that cloud once more, let out a little sigh, write a few lines, shed two single tears one for the joy and one for the sorrow, and carry on to laying on the fields of computer screens, spreadsheets, coffee stained mugs and ironic smiles.. as you watch the cloud move lazily in the autumnal sky reminding you of the beauty that this world offers to you.

The Poem:

Lawrence Ferlinghetti

21

Heaven

was only half as far that night

at the poetry recital

listening to the burnt phrases

when I heard the poet have

a rhyming erection

then look away with a

lost look

‘Every animal’ he said at last

‘after intercourse is sad’

But the back-row lovers

looked oblivious

and glad