I did not stop marching toward life. br -Neruda br br Wounded as I was- br by the madmen, br the daft Hamlets with poems br in their hair, br the chill men who wanted br to fuck their way br into my warmth br & leave me br cold, br the half-baked br novelists, the doctors br who could not heal br themselves, br the actors br who could not remember br their lines, br the professors br I had to teach; br all the Persons br from Porlock br invading the heart br of my poem- br I did not stop br marching toward br love; br I did not seal off br my heart. br br & then you appeared- br suddenly, br unexpectedly- br as life is always br unexpected. br The new baby br arriving br in the same radiance- br an ordinary face br suddenly turning br extraordinary- br eyes, nose, mouth br suddenly br indispensable, br suddenly br beautiful br beyond br explanation, br suddenly necessary br as rain. br br Because br I did not stop marching, br because br I never let the scar tissue br form, br because br my heart is open br to ache, br because br my legs will twine br around a new lover br & mean it br (as if love could last)- br you br marched into my life. br br You marched in br sloping in to the wind, br your hair combed br as if with a fork, br your face sweet & open br as a puppy's br & starving for love & for warmth br as a Dickens hero. br br O my Pip, br my Oliver, br my Copperfield- br how I want to hold you br & make it all br all right. br br Let me march br toward life br before you. br There is nothing to fear br but br br stopping.