a bit of hodge-podge on: Blessing will, by Karen Schubert

And I wish you time to age, your
useful head hair gone, erupting
from your ears and eyebrows,
the drama of your face tribute
to a poet. I wish you lips to kiss
the new bare skin above your brain,
and levity for a head-heavy
life. I wish you too many
books to read, too many journeys
to take, too many women to
love you. I wish an echo
to your stairwell, bay to your
fish, eyes to your lens, skies
to your pain, friends to your friend,
apprentice to your shaman, music
to your mouth, moth to your moonlight.

This poem's first line really captivated me on a personal level. "I wish you time to age . . ." The poem is sonorous, it is earnest and resonant. The voice is comforting and smooth. I believe that in American life (and "life" in its broader context) we are scarcely alotted time to age. People are withered by occupations, stress, and simply trying to conform - by trying to convey a contrived look of wellness in spite of the fact that they are rotten within. The placidity of this poem defies this. The poem is optimistic, seemingly written to a newborn with "new bare skin." This image also serves the reader by bridging the gap between infancy and old age. It is this gap which the poet conveys. Blessing will is a blessing and it soft tone tells us to appreciate the small things and the light hearted, and through the coupling of these realizations we will realize the endless rich possibilitities of life and of living.