Storytelling: Prose and Poetry

I Wish I Could Remember/Forget that First Day: Parallel Poems

by harpandsong2

I participated in November Poem-A-Day for the first time in 2022. I only participated about half of the days, but a few poems turned out nicely! One of the prompts from the Poetry Pub called two things to mind: a personal experience and a beautiful poem by Christina Rossetti. I chose to “steal like an artist” and use the structure and much of the content of Rossetti’s poem to convey a contrasting meaning in my own poem. Note: If you’re viewing this on a mobile device, you’ll see Rossetti’s poem comes first and then mine. You can read them in either order you choose. If you view it on a tablet or computer, you’ll be able to see the poems side by side.

by Christina Rossetti

I wish I could remember that first day,
  First hour, first moment of your meeting me,
  If bright or dim the season, it might be
Summer or Winter for aught I can say;
So unrecorded did it slip away,
  So blind was I to see and to foresee,
  So dull to mark the budding of my tree
That would not blossom yet for many a May.
If only I could recollect it, such
  A day of days! I let it come and go
  As traceless as a thaw of bygone snow;
It seemed to mean so little, meant so much;
If only now I could recall that touch,
  First touch of hand in hand – Did one but know!
by Chelsea Barnwell

I wish I could forget that first day,
  First hour, first moment of my meeting you,
  Bright the morning, all was fresh, clean, and new
Warm summer sun, no hint of coming grey
Carved on my heart, will not go away
  So blind was I in seeing to foresee
  So dull to hope you'd do the same for me
And count this day, so sweet, as the first day.
If only I could recollect it as such
  A day of days! But now must let it go
  As traceless as a thaw of bygone snow;
It meant little to you, to me...so much;
Why must I still recall that touch,
  First touch of hand in hand- loath to let go.

Photo by Hanna Morris on Unsplash

3 thoughts on “I Wish I Could Remember/Forget that First Day: Parallel Poems”

  2. This is beautiful! Thanks for sharing! With spring weather, I hope to do more walking on Rivermont and I’d love to have a visit!

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