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Removing Veils
by Glenn CurrierWe remove the veils one by one
from the bruised ramparts
of my arguments
my edgy tone with Mom
not touching the right place
conjuring instead of listening
being late for the kids
too loud Dylan too often
tripping on the brown pebbles
lain by late nights away.
We remove the veils one by one
from joy unspoken
tenderness delayed
compassion choked down
by the crusty hurt
left in my throat
when at my vulnerable moment
you gave me a chuckle
instead of a sigh.
We remove the veils one by one
from the cherished illusions of control,
decades in the making
ah, yes, of course
by MY incredible mind
and agile ingenuity!
But the sweet and succulent
peach of this story:
we lived long enough
arose from stumbles enough
and found our way back
through the bitter dark
into the gentle light
because
WE removed the veils one by one. 10/14/2007 Author's Note: I made a little challenge for myself: Open Annie Dillard, lay your eyes upon a random phrase and begin and end a poem with it. I was confident it would work since she is such a superb writer. It is very late after a long day... if it didn't work, it wasn't Annie's fault.
Posted on 10/14/2007
Copyright © 2025 Glenn Currier
| Member Comments on this Poem |
| Posted by Kathleen Wilson on 10/14/07 at 05:56 AM Those words touched deeply into your own experience, and echoing in such personal tones, the deepening and strengthening of relationship by removing the tough outer skin that time, conditioning, environment, and predeliction has seasoned, to find the sweet core where the seed is double. A beautiful emotional peeling. |
| Posted by Quentin S Clingerman on 10/14/07 at 04:17 PM The use of the analogy of the veil very effective in this very emotional baring of your soul. |
| Posted by Charlie Morgan on 10/14/07 at 05:23 PM ...glenn, ala loretta lynn, 'you do annie dillard proud'...yes, oh yes...the veiling and un-veiling, wow...the mom reference is superb...it goes back that far in our growing[up]...impressive...peace, chaz |
| Posted by Charlie Morgan on 10/14/07 at 05:25 PM ...glenn, annie rang my bell w/ 'it is so nice to read a beautiful sentence...but it is sooo much nicer to have written it!' annnd you did just that touche, touche...peace, chaz |
| Posted by Kristina Woodhill on 10/14/07 at 11:53 PM I believe Annie would be pleased. I really like the tender feeling of removing the veil, like a slow revelation which carries with it time passing. I enjoy your underlying humor which I suppose is the advantage of looking back on life from a now positive position. "the sweet and succulent peach" line is perfect. |
| Posted by Alison McKenzie on 10/21/07 at 02:48 PM Kudos to you for undertaking such an arduous task. Removing the veils is the hardest thing, in my book, to be exposed in that moment. And it's expressed so tenderly here. Beautiful. |
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