More from this afternoon's browsing, a nice little love poem this time. (I did wonder for a while if 'Tamer' is supposed to be a name; it looks Turkish to me.... but I'm not aware of any story the poet might have been referencing, and couldn't find anything in a quick Net search, so I suppose it must be just the noun from 'tame'. Bit of a disappointment, really!)
Tamer and Hawk
I thought I was so tough
But gentled at your hand
Cannot be quick enough
To fly for you and show
That when I go I go
At your commands
Even in flight above
I am no longer free:
You seeled me with your love,
I am blind to other birds -
The habit of your words
Has hooded me.
As formerly, I wheel
And hover and twist,
But only want the feel,
In my possessive thought,
Of catcher and of caught
Upon your wrist.
You but half-civilize,
Taming me in this way.
Through having only eyes
For you I fear to lose,
I lose to keep, and choose
Tamer as prey.
Thom Gunn (1929-2004)
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