A Room for Dreaming
03.18.2012 
The state we are in
as we leave agent and owner,
the lease in our hands,
the room a dream come true,
the room where a deeper dream
will unfold.
A three-year lease. He doesn’t want to sell.
His son might use it for college,
his three-year-old son.
Galettes at Breizh, a new find—
might be the best in town, though any would be
in the state we’re in, the world perfect and full.
From one end of rue Vieille du Temple
to the Seine, dark waters, shivering,
a ghost memory, I dive in
to another river from my houseboat
on the Thames, swim to a swan
who hisses and strikes like a snake
my hand, protecting her cygnets.
We head east on the Quai d’Orléans.
There! Look! Right above Notre Dame,
Venus and Jupiter shine, so close
they seem to be signaling, so bright
they seem to be speaking.
And there! Two swans on the bank
of the Seine, one with head tucked into wing,
the other grooming his feathers.
I remember Zeus disguised as swan
ravishing Leda, her hyacinth-colored eggs bearing
Castor and Clytaemnestra, Helen and Polydeuces;
remember the swan poems we wrote the year
we met, calling out to each other,
“Cob!” “Pen!”
We look back from the Pont de la Tournelle
at Our Lady’s eastern face, the skull
that shows in the dark.
The sweep of light across the heavens
from the tip of the golden tower, Jupiter and Venus
like swans curved in embrace.
And it seems to us that all that matters
is that we turn again
and again to love.
Reader Comments (32)
Kaaren
I sent you a long response to your Chambre du Bonne, one of sympathetic longing for the perfect place and dreaming about studios — both of which I know so well.... As I was finishing my reflection, a friend arrive at the door, I made a swift gesture and lost my words. They evaporated back into the ethers (as did this one so I'm reposting..) I haven't been able to return here until now.
I was dreaming for you, with you and saw the Pantheon from your window with all of my eyes and senses. I KNEW it had to be yours and can't wait to see it with my virtual eyes (virtualize). — Richard, when is the photograph coming? <;-)
You manifested your dream! Thank Heavens and all the great forces who were partaking in bringing forth your "room to dream in". I am so thrilled for you. Could Paris get any better for you? Yes ! I hear it emerging from your writing on this page which is immersed in enchantment.
How exquisite, how perfect:
The sweep of light across the heavens
from the tip of the golden tower, Jupiter and Venus
like swans curved in embrace.
And it seems to us that all that matters
is that we turn again
and again to love.
Love you are
and Loved,
Joanne
Diane!
What loving words from you! We are grateful. It's hard not to pay attention to the beauty around you in Paris--it's such a rich city. And it's taken me years to come out of my dreamy inner state and see the world around me. As far as the way you live, it's already open and conscious and embracing of the world.
It really did seem as if Jupiter and Venus were having a tete a tete. And how perfect is it to see at that moment, Venus's birds, two swans?
Thank you, Diane, for enriching my life as you do. Richard thanks you, too.
Love,
Kaaren (& Richard)
Jennifer,
Thank you! Aren't those swans perfect on such a night?
I still don't know if we want to post photos, but in case we do, we'll take some Before snapshots. The space DOES feel sacred to me, though our contractor wants to rip it apart. But since we don't own it, he'll have to be content simply making a few minor repairs.
I'm so happy about your news., but won't mention what it is yet....
Much love,
Kaaren (& Richard)
Anna!
Hawks! Leaf blowers! You're taking me right back to L. A. Here in Paris we've seen nary a hawk, heard not a discouraging leaf blower.
The saying is Time is money, but I'd reverse it to Wealth is: time. Oh, for enough time to write all that is in my mind.
Have there been nibbles on your series or screenplays? I want one to sell tout de suite to give you time to finish that novel.
Love you (and thanks),
Kaaren (& Richard)
Dear Elena,
Richard thanks you! So do I!
Please send us a poem of yours.
XOXO,
Kaaren & Richard
Wow, Joanne,
Speaking of love: we bow to you.
Please let me know what YOU are dreaming into being, and I will (intensely, clearly) visualize it happening.
Much love to one who is rich in love,
Kaaren & Richard
I would cherish having you Visual-Eyes my dreams into beingness. I'll have to lasoo them into some recognizable forms...they're a bit etheric at the moment. Time to concretize. (Or is that concrete-eyes?)
I understand keeping the space sacred w/o photos to be seen by the world. Native peoples are very suspicious of photography and feel it "steals souls"... there could be some truth to that; allowing eyes in. They primarily did not want themselves "captured." Places...hmmm, many occupants passing through. More spirit residue than soul.
You've captured the beauty in your writing and yes, photography Richard. Love both of your arts.
Squeeze from Venice, CA.
Joanne
Joanne,
You just gave me an idea for a post, and also a regular series on Paris Play. (Inspiring: you keep on doing that!) More on that later.
Thank you for reminding me of the Native American attitude about photos. My sense is that it's less a matter of stealing souls than leaving them out. So many photographers don't know what to throw away. Richard does. Or don't manage to reach into the soul of who or what they are photographing, though you and Richard do.
About my space: this is the first time I've had a studio out of the house. And taking photos is like inviting people in. And that makes it feel like a social space. What I'd like is to create a place where I am alone with my imagination. The people I welcome into this space are the people of memory and imagination. Maybe the way to transform them into living beings on the page is to keep actual human beings away. You know? What does this have to do with photos? They are powerful. They invite people to populate the space that the photo records. I'll muse on this further....
Tell me when you have a clear picture of your dream, and we'll focus on making it happen.
Love,
Kaaren (& Richard)
A Room of One's Own... absolutely YES. A secret room to create alchemical notions, a tower and laboratory for the mind and imagination to roam freely. I love thinking of this idea and, of you there looking out over the city, creating in quiet reverie.
It's so true how photographs invite viewers in to "populate" space. Voyeurism has always been a popular "sport."
I know how wonderful it is to fix a new place, arrange things just so, bring in the special talisman and objects to grace the space. It's a precious time.
Sending Spring Equinox Blessings your way. It's the perfect time to inaugurate your Dream Studio.
Love,
Joanne
Dear Joanne,
Thank you for all the good wishes.
More on fixing up the new space in posts to come...
A joyful spring to you, too, with many fresh beginnings.
Much love,
Kaaren (& Richard)
Hi, Kaaren and Richard,
I want you both to know how much I enjoy reading your journal. Wit, humour, erudition! And now the most lyrical poem! Wow!
Even knowing what a good photographer Richard is, every time feeling an admiration on the unexpected angle of showing the world!
The magnificent photographs of Paris in snow! The gorgeous photographs of the most beautiful city in the world! Aren't you two lucky to live there?!
Amazing political panorama! Fantastic stories! And chocolate soup!
How much style you both have! The report on the book fair: black and white photographs, the splash of joyful colours in other articles. Bravo to you both!
Happy for you that you've got a studio. Sorry to hear about the neighbor starting again... At least you'll be able to work.
Can't wait to see you both!
Lots of love to you from us both,
Margarita and Richard
Dear Margarita and Richard,
Thank you for all this extravagant appreciation! We had such a great time in Paris with you. You take us places we'd never go without you, and now we can't imagine Paris without you, at least part of the time!
Love,
Kaaren (& Richard)