Width of Belief
WIDTH OF BELIEF
The length of yearning
is two oceans and a continent wide.
I measure its dewy breadth
in hothouse nights,
stained with salt and tears.
The height of loneliness
is a round trip to heaven and back,
leaving me breathless
and hollow, sounding only of echo -
answering myself.
The duration of pain is the time it takes -
no more and no less,
each grief tattoo fading at its own pace;
from purple to yellow to pink
from hurt to health, eventually.
The size of love is infinite,
of course, because of its miracle.
The more you give away
the more you have.
In my greed I offer you all I have.
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©2009 Christopher Reilley
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Your opening stanza drew me right in, and set the mood of underlying pain. I love "The duration of pain is the time it takes." So true. So wise. And I love the offering of infinite love at the end.
ReplyDeleteSome beautiful lines in this one...the length of yearning is two oceans and a continent wide
ReplyDeleteYou are only free when you give everything away