Forget
Forget the suffering
You caused others.
Forget the suffering
Others caused you.
The waters run and run,
Springs sparkle and are done,
You walk the earth you are forgetting.
Sometimes you hear a distant refrain.
What does it mean, you ask, who is singing?
A childlike sun grows warm.
A grandson and a great-grandson are born.
You are led by the hand once again.
The names of the rivers remain with you.
How endless those rivers seem!
Your fields lie fallow,
The city towers are not as they were.
You stand at the threshold mute
You caused others.
Forget the suffering
Others caused you.
The waters run and run,
Springs sparkle and are done,
You walk the earth you are forgetting.
Sometimes you hear a distant refrain.
What does it mean, you ask, who is singing?
A childlike sun grows warm.
A grandson and a great-grandson are born.
You are led by the hand once again.
The names of the rivers remain with you.
How endless those rivers seem!
Your fields lie fallow,
The city towers are not as they were.
You stand at the threshold mute
-Czeskaw Milosz
(posted on wall in a Vermont library)
5 comments:
The computer in its wisdom has decided to only post the poem in this strange middle layout. Sigh. Took forever to upload the photo so I give up as after vacation, I need to not scramble my brain on the computer but to go buy something for dinner :)
Regardless of the layout, this is fantastic and left me mute at the end. Thank you for sharing.
It really knocked my socks off when I read it, too.
I'm glad you decided to post the poem in the strange layout - and I like having the photo of the book page.
I've hardly read any of this man's poems but they keep popping up. This one resonates with me as I'm getting older and feel the lessening of strength and memory.
I want to explore his work more now, too.
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