The Translated Body

Georgia O'Keeffe, "Palo Duro Canyon," year unknown.

A letter from Georgia O'Keeffe to Alfred Stieglitz. 

York Beach, Maine. May 16, 1922.

Tuesday morning -- 8:35 --

          The Schaufflers are gone and I am disgusted to say that I forgot to give them the letter for you -- I wonder if you are nearing Lake George this morning -- I had breakfast at the tail end of theirs -- walked up the beach till the sun hurt my eyes -- was back at seven -- after looking in the windows of two or three of the cottages on the way home -- 

  Took down the soiled breakfast things -- and have looked at my pastels -- They look pretty sick -- Fixed them in a neat pile for you to look at -- It has been so exciting to be here -- and I've felt so rushed that I feel I haven't given much in the way of an edge to anything -- either the drawings or my letters to you -- all seems to be scrambly to me -- There may be three -- maybe four things there -- that are worth keeping --

The wind is blowing in waves across the green grass of the field out there -- and I hear the water behind me -- the sun is warm on my back --

Dearest I love you --

I am on my back -- wanting to be spread wide apart -- waiting for you -- to die with the sense of you -- the pleasure of you -- the sensuousness of you touching the sensuousness of me -- All my body -- all of me is waiting for you to touch the center of me with the center of you -- 

I got up -- a moment after writing the last page -- walked around the room -- found the other pages of my letter to you -- looked out the window --

Dearest -- my body is simply crazy with wanting you -- If you don't come tomorrow -- I don't see how I can wait for you -- I wonder if your body wants mine the way mine wants yours -- the kisses -- the hotness -- the wetness -- all melting together -- the being held so tight that it hurts -- the strangle and struggle -- the release that moans and groans and the quickly drawn breath -- the reaching of something in the whole body for the center of heaven -- the relaxing to prolong the pleasure that goes through every inch of one's body -- one's center touched -- repeatedly with that center that goes into one's center with such madness pushing and pounding and beating at the middle of one's soul till it is satisfied -- the ring about the opening to one's center begins to contract and one becomes gradually a limp thing -- hot -- wet -- relieved -- satisfied -- and your smooth wet little pinkness lies beside me -- all in a limp dampness -- both unconscious in his release -- for a moment -- then pale little smiles at one another --

When I feel how your touching my body -- getting into my body -- has given all of me to you -- all of you to me as much as one human being can get into and feel another of another -- I wonder if there is any difference in body -- and spirit -- soul and mind -- aren't they all one and the same thing --

I seem to feel my body very intensely this morning -- so much so that I wonder if there is anything else to me -- It's my body that wants you and it seems to be the only thought or desire that I have -- It even seems to be my only memory of you -- two bodies that have fused -- have touched with completeness at both ends making a complete circuit -- making them one -- a circle that nothing can break -- You have given me -- the circle of the most painfully intense pleasure -- most pleasurably intense pain -- The circle with two centers -- each touching the other -- The mathematical impossibility of the situation is probably nature's reason for the particularly keen pleasure she affords when the mathematically impossible happens -- 

I must work -- I'm in such a state that I could write about this all day --

Does it tell you how wildly hungry every inch of me is for you -- even my toes. It's no use to say it's my soul crying for you -- I know good and well that it is my body -- my blood -- my flesh -- even my bones seem to cry for you -- hunger for you --

Wednesday -- 5:30

Yesterday was a torture to me -- a kind of torture that I've never experienced before -- You have always relieved me -- I didn't realize how much -- For a while I just lay on the bed -- face down -- holding my breasts -- it hurt so -- I didn't see how I could stand it -- then I got up and walked --

I had to do something -- I felt I couldn't stand the ocean so I walked up the back road -- then later on the beach --

          I forgot to tell you that before I went to walk -- I made a drawing to tell you about it all --