Wednesday 28 October 2009

The Year of Yes

- for Victoria and Perveen,
dearest, patient girlfriends
who nonetheless went off to Bury Farm
without me
and inspired this poem

I wish I had said Yes!
beloved
When you asked me out to walk
among the leaves
the turning leaves
You were offering me
the sound of dreams,
And I turned you down
politely.

Not today, I smiled
Perhaps,
Maybe, tomorrow?

But I wish I had said Yes!
beloved
I wish we had shared this light.

Next time don't ask
Just take me!
Order me to dress!

I am going to need your help
beloved
To begin the Year of Yes.

30 comments:

magiceye said...

that is such a lovely positive marching ahead vibe!!

Ruth said...

Thank you.

You helped me shed tears this morning, which I needed after hearing yesterday that the niece I helped detox two weeks ago had a 5-day bender this week.

Ruth said...

Shaista, I have a request I'd like to ask in email. Would you please email me so I can respond and ask?

ruth.mowry@gmail.com

Thanks.

RNSANE said...

Beautiful, Shaista...I can so relate to this. So often, I have resisted doing something, feeling under the weather - yet, when someone has insisted that I MAKE myself go, I have forgotten how badly I felt and I have truly enjoyed the company of friends and enjoyed the escape from misery.

Tess Kincaid said...

Beautiful. I think we all need a little urging, from time to time, to say yes. And we regret all those times we didn't.

TheChicGeek said...

This is beautiful, Shaista.
When an opportunity for love knocks and invites us out to share this beautiful life Yes is the answer! This speaks to me of not wasting opportunities in this life, and so true that sometimes we just need someone to take our hand and give us a little nudge toward living our best and most fulfilling life!

So lovely :)
You have visited me today and followed me. Thank you. I'm glad you did because you brought me here and I am now a follower too :)
You write beautifully!
Hugs to You,
Kelly

Jeanne-ming Brantingham said...

yes yes yes

Doris said...

Hi Shaista, your brother Riz passed this link to me. I love this poem "The Year of Yes." It has a very lyrical cadence to it and the subject of the poem is such a poignant one. Thank you for sharing!

Muznah said...

what an absolute lovely poem. I hope you're well Shaista

love,
Muznah

RT said...

Top poem! I always try and say yes whenever people invite me to get involved with something they're doing. Going with the flow even if it involves a little mission takes you a long way :)

PurestGreen said...

Hiya, I've wandered over from Ruth's blog and I just wanted to tell you that I love this poem. It reminds me of something that could have been written centuries ago. Just beautiful.

Chrissy said...

Shaista,
You really are very inspiring. Thank you for sharing your work with me - and in regards to the year of yes - go for it! I look forward to reading more. Your comments about my book and Bombay made me smile...you made my day. Thank you!

Marion said...

Your beautiful poem reminded me of one of my favorite poems by a lady named Kaylin Haught from a book I have, "In the Palm of Your Hand". I read it often and have it somewhere on my blog (which I'm glad you visited today!) Check it out:

God Says Yes To Me
Kaylin Haught

I asked God if it was okay to be melodramatic
and she said yes
I asked her if it was okay to be short
and she said it sure is
I asked her if I could wear nail polish
or not wear nail polish
and she said honey
she calls me that sometimes
she said you can do just exactly
what you want to
Thanks God I said
And is it even okay if I don't paragraph
my letters
Sweetcakes God said
who knows where she picked that up
what I'm telling you is
Yes Yes Yes

from The Palm of your Hand, 1995

Irfan said...

this is my favourite. quality poem shai. perfect from the first word till the last.

PeterParis said...

Ruth brought me here! What a wonderful poem!

Claudia said...

I also arrived here through Ruth's blog. Your beautiful and inspiring poem has touched me deeply, I feel I could have written it if only I could write poetry. I suffer from chronic depression and I want to begin my Year of Yes.

ds said...

I am here from Ruth's blog also. What a lovely, positive poem! Thank you for your talent and your strength.

Renee said...

This is so fantastic and it now runs in my head 'the year of yes'.

Yes....

Sometimes it is hard to do though isn't it.

Love Renee xoxo

Glauco said...

Shaista

I really loved your poem , I had contact with your blog yesturday talcking about poetry with your brother in a PUB here in São Paulo,Brazil.Yesturday he show me this poem and I really loved!

Glauco Callia

glauco_callia@hotmail.com

Samosas for One said...

Ohh the year of yes...I like it! It made me think of this blog: http://www.persistingstars.com/blog/ and this print: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=31951868

Anonymous said...

yes yes, and I loved the repetition of 'beloved', such a wonderful slightly old fashioned word, used to great effect.
thanks for sharing
cfm

Totalfeckineejit said...

Beautifully written but also so positively inspiring.Let's all make 2010 the year of 'Yes!' That we may all hear the sound of dreams.

Enchanted Oak said...

A beautiful noise, the Year of Yes!
I hope the Poetry Bus stops here

Emerging Writer said...

alovely passenger for the poetry bus. Positivity is a powerful force.

Titus said...

Fabulous, Shaista!
I am going to read this until I remember it. Brilliant message, beautifully written. I love the vulnerability coupled with the spirit.

Karen said...

Yes is a wonderful word that we probably say too seldom. The Year of Yes is a wonderful idea and good advice to all of us.

Batteson.Ind said...

what a breath of air this is :-)
and has such an airy way about it, it almost floats off the page/screen..
Just beautiful!

Peter Goulding said...

From someone who has spent most of his life afraid of yes, this rings very true. Lovely poem.

Argent said...

The Year of Yes - what a great idea! And what a beautifully written poem to express it.

NanU said...

Lovely! I'm going to say 'yes' today. you've inspired me. I just hope I'm put nice questions!

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