To love life, to love it even
when you have no stomach for it
and everything you’ve held dear
crumbles like burnt paper in your hands,
your throat filled with the silt of it.
When grief sits with you, its tropical heat
thickening the air, heavy as water
more fit for gills than lungs;
when grief weights you like your own flesh
only more of it, an obesity of grief,
you think, How can a body withstand this?
Then you hold life like a face
between your palms, a plain face,
no charming smile, no violet eyes,
and you say, yes, I will take you
I will love you, again.
Ellen Bass.
To love life, to love it even
when you have no stomach for it
and everything you’ve held dear
crumbles like burnt paper in your hands,
your throat filled with the silt of it.
When grief sits with you, its tropical heat
thickening the air, heavy as water
more fit for gills than lungs;
when grief weights you like your own flesh
only more of it, an obesity of grief,
you think, How can a body withstand this?
Then you hold life like a face
between your palms, a plain face,
no charming smile, no violet eyes,
and you say, yes, I will take you
I will love you, again.
Ellen Bass.
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8 comments:
A perfect little piece of loveliness for me to read on the day I move out of the old marital home. Thank you.
I love this! where do you find them! Thank you Alison!
Thank you. That's just what I needed this morning, your timing is perfect x
Lovely. Just what I needed today.
Thankyou for posting this Alison, it is beautiful.
I have just googled Ellen Bass,what an amazing poet! her poetry speaks to me in volumes,I am going to go on amazon and order some books! Thank you again Alison,I really never do leave Brocantehome empty handed!
Reminds me of the story of Hosea in the Bible. :) Blessings... Polly
Thank you for sharing that...
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