“What gets left of a man amounts to a part.
To his spoken part. To a part of speech.”
- Joseph Brodsky, “Part of Speech”



Old Poet's Last Words

I have come this far, so often lost.
What awaits us is a last revelation
No words of mine can cross into
And return again to speak to you
Of what is certain but unknowable.
There is no telling but in my leaving,
No hearing but in what I leave behind.

I have come near now to the end
Of all that I know, all that knows me,
And the beginning of all I believe.
What I have learned I have written.
If some words have seemed a song
And some few a kind of prayer,
May both have been in praise
Of something more than myself,
And of the love I leave with you.




Poetry by countryfog
Read 399 times
Written on 2011-01-04 at 18:38

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Lawrence Beck The PoetBay support member heart!
This one's both song and prayer, I think. Nicely done.
2011-01-07


John Ashleigh
Beautiful and inspiring. Thanks for writing.

Regards,
John.
2011-01-06


Nils Teodor The PoetBay support member heart!
Very well written and beautiful
Thanks for sharing
2011-01-05


ngaio Beck
Beautiful sentiment
2011-01-05


josephus The PoetBay support member heart!
This reminds me of " the parting glass" A fond farewell salute to old friends on leaving without a sense of return. Well written my friend... well written

Joe
2011-01-04