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
