Wednesday, August 1, 2007

Ms. Bishop, What Shall I Loose Today?

I've not forgotten about this little island of writing I've begun. Just had to take a little time off because of the burden's of everyday life.

For some reason, after a long talk with a dear friend last night the words of Elizabeth Bishop came to mind. I couldn't get them all lined up in my mind, so of course I've turned to the Internet to help me remember. It's a lovely poem. A lovely sentiment. Maybe you'll think so too.
Loose something every day.

One Art
by Elizabeth Bishop

The art of losing isn't hard to master;
so many things seem filled with the intent
to be lost that their loss is no disaster.

Lose something every day. Accept the fluster
of lost door keys, the hour badly spent.
The art of losing isn't hard to master.

Then practice losing farther, losing faster:
places, and names, and where it was you meant
to travel. None of these will bring disaster.

I lost my mother's watch. And look! my last, or
next-to-last, of three loved houses went.
The art of losing isn't hard to master.

I lost two cities, lovely ones. And, vaster,
some realms I owned, two rivers, a continent.
I miss them, but it wasn't a disaster.

--Even losing you (the joking voice, a gesture
I love) I shan't have lied. It's evident
the art of losing's not too hard to master
though it may look like (Write it!) like disaster.

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