Blog Entry 12: Poem Paraphrase

A Paraphrase of “First Poem for You” by: Kim Addonizio (b.1954)

I like to touch every inch of your tattoo when we are in the dark. I know where they are by heart and by memory of your body. I know the neat lines of the lightning bolts just above your nipple. Without hesitation I can find the swirling blues waves on your shoulder where the serpent and dragon are fighting. Then making love to you and then lay quietly on the sheets and kissing the tattoos “pretty pictures” on your skin. Those tattoos will last through everything until the day we are cremated. They will last through our hard times when/if they come. No matter what happens between us those tattoos will still be there. Knowing that no matter what happens they will still be there is a little scary. The only way they will not exist is your entire body being burned to ashes is terrifying. So I continue to touch them, trying to understand. (Kennedy Pg.601)

I thought that this was a very nice poem. It not only shows love but it shows worry. I am not sure how well I did paraphrasing it but I tried. It is hard to interpret because it has more detail in it than most of the poems we have covered so far. I should like this because I need more detail but when it comes to paraphrasing it makes it more difficult. I think that the way she wrote the poem shows a little fear of her mate. However, her title does not show fear so it is a little confusing. I assume that she is a very scared person who does not take many risks like her mate, that she does not have tattoos like he does. She looks up to him for the commitment that he has to have tattoos but is scared for him because of them also. It was a very interesting poem to read and try to paraphrase.

Let me know what you guys think.
Thanks
Carmen