Page 27

By Jack Joseph Smith

A Molly Love, My Only Sister Kissed clear Sailor when wandering shell back has gone From your feet you desired me not Until memory suggested the world as swelled, with where we stood when a whole kitchen wondered why Sweet and down along the way was your glance; and then as a dry lawn through gardens, your seriousness went dreary, all for a hallway of thought Loving you in the way of in love was not a plan, so it was just to high for following Yet scared, and no good at it, trying made me happy Yes a wounded fox from the hunt; a wild wolf finally under siege Only falling would let me climb to your embrace Different than sister; no chalking this one off, upright we will be there, at a point where we did not take off, but stayed, kept with our hands A newness beyond all the fashions of laughter we know We will never languish our places, our steps, our songs, or our dreams of direction And so tiny you have it all my lady For though I have wished for sin, and sorrow too Still I have seen your eyes of joy...

Original Scan

Page 27

AI Interpretation

GPT

This page turns yearning toward a sister figure into a tender, unstable mix of love, memory, and restraint.

The poem keeps acknowledging that the feeling exceeds any simple role. Its emotional power comes from that tension between intimacy and prohibition.


Claude

A Molly Love, My Only Sister. A sister poem for a sailor-wanderer. Kissed clear Sailor when wandering shell back has gone, dry-lawn seriousness, no plan for loving you the way of in love, a wounded fox from the hunt, a wild wolf under siege, only falling lets him climb to her embrace. Different than sister, not chalking this one off. Joy eyes.