Separation By W. S. Merwin

[conuly]

Your absence has gone through me
Like thread through a needle.
Everything I do is stitched with its color.

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/poems/28891/separation-56d21285b2140

Many years ago, when the kids were little or before that, I was on the boat with Mommy one day and somehow or another one of us ended up reciting the Statue of Liberty poem, and then we just went back and forth for a bit, trading poems. Some tourists moved to sit near us to listen, including one man whose jaw actually dropped midway through our conversation and told us at the end that that was "amazing".

It wasn't really that amazing, it was only a few poems, but he may have been astounded by the fact that some of my mother's recitations were in French.

Comments

[elainegrey]

That poem is a wonderful metaphor for grief and loss. And i am sorry for yours.

[bitterlawngnome]

what a fantastic poem. wow.

[mama_kestrel]

What a lovely memory.

[adafrog]

:)

Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

One time someone started "The Jabberwocky" in our living room, and amongst the bunch of us we recited the whole thing. A friend remarked, "You have just reached a whole new level of geekdom in my eyes." This sort of thing used to be common, but is less so nowadays.

Re: Thoughts

[conuly]

Jabberwocky is in the common meter. I myself prefer to sing it to the tune of Greensleeves, but Amazing Grace also works and is pretty.

Re: Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

LOL yes.

"Meddle not in the affairs of Bards, for they are subtle and quick to anger ... and your name scans to Greensleeves."