Notes

Edith L. TIempo

Scott Tenorio
Shane Erich
"Bonsai"

All that I love
I fold over once
And once again
And keep in a box
Or a slit in a hollow post
Or in my shoe.

All that I love?
Why, yes, but for the moment-
And for all time, both.
Something that folds and keeps easy,
Son’s note or Dad’s one gaudy tie,
A roto picture of a queen,
A blue Indian shawl, even
A money bill.

It’s utter sublimation,
A feat, this heart’s control
Moment to moment
To scale all love down
To a cupped hand’s size

Till seashells are broken pieces
From God’s own bright teeth,
And life and love are real
Things you can run and
Breathless hand over
To the merest child.
Shane: he poem "Bonsai" by Edith Tiempo is about love and how people may make objects become symbols of their feelings for another person. She begins her poetry by outlining her love-related activities. She is plainly referring to objects because love is an abstract idea and doesn't have a tangible form. Because objects can be held and felt and maintain their shape, they are a physical embodiment of love. Therefore, even if the love itself vanishes, the object still exists and serves as a reminder of the affection that was felt. Additionally, the fact that these things are actual rather than abstract is proof that love exists. They have made her confident that love endures until the end of time.

Scott: My understanding about this poetry is basically a poem talking about love. At first, it will be hard understanding the poem as it is, but as one reads this poem further the more one would understand what this poem or what the poet is trying to convey to its readers. This poem talks about how one could have that ability seize such a huge thought and compact them down to something small to be able to hand them over to one person to another.