Wednesday, March 7, 2018

Someone I loved
















The Uses of Sorrow

(In my sleep I dreamed this poem)
Someone I loved once gave me
a box full of darkness.

It took me years to understand
that this, too, was a gift.

—Mary Oliver

With gratitude to Beth.

4 comments:

My life so far said...

I'm not there yet. Too much darkness right now but it does give me hope.

37paddington said...

I hope you didn’t lose someone. Sending love.

am said...

lily cedar -- There was a young man I loved who returned irreparably broken from his experiences in Vietnam. He had been broken when he left for Vietnam. His experiences in Vietnam added to his brokenness. That was many years ago, in 1970. I am just beginning to be able to look at the box full of darkness that he gave to me and consider that it may have been a gift.

37paddington -- Thank you for your lovingkindness. It was long ago, in 1970, that I lost someone I loved. I lost him again when he died in 2008. Mary Oliver's poem brought to light the box full of darkness he gave me.

Anonymous said...

That is such a beautiful poem. I'm going to add it to my Saved Gems document. I love Mary Oliver, and I thank you for posting this.