"El Beso" a poem by Angelina Weld Grimké

A poem from the public domain

Intro

Here’s my latest reading of a poem from the public domain.

The last couple sentences of poets.org’s bio for Angelina Weld Grimké made me (sad) laugh because it’s just like academia to be reluctant to allow someone to retain their queerness posthumously. They say:

“Her poetry has experienced a revival in recent decades, with particular attention on her erotic love sonnets addressed to women, such as “Grass Fingers” and “El Beso,” leading to new recognition for Grimké as a lesbian poet.”

Grimké is a an excellent poet who is well worth the revival, not just because I as a sapphic-leaning bisexual woman love her lesbian sonnets. My reading of “El Beso” is dedicated to my partner who often uses the Spanish word—beso—for kiss when asking me for one.

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The poem text is below, followed by my video reading. Happy National Poetry Month! Read poems. Share poems. Write poems.

💜Miranda📚

El Beso

Twilight—and you
Quiet—the stars;
Snare of the shine of your teeth,
Your provocative laughter,
The gloom of your hair;
Lure of you, eye and lip;
Yearning, yearning,
Languor, surrender;
Your mouth,
And madness, madness,
Tremulous, breathless, flaming,
The space of a sigh;
Then awakening—remembrance,
Pain, regret—your sobbing;
And again, quiet—the stars,
Twilight—and you.

My Reading