On suffering

I did it once.

Went through the dark night of the soul in a little row boat

And didn’t sink.

So I did it once.

Then again and again

I have been called to attend to separation

Suffer the stark, dark gritty agony of loneliness –

And realize

There is no cure for being human

I am almost sixty now

My hair is silver and gray

My eyes betray my years

As do the fine lines around my mouth

Smile and grimace both

I don’t much like getting back in the boat

To ride out the night

Or say hello to the now familiar darkness

Out from which I will emerge

Glad to be alive.

But I will do it.

Silvia Behrend