Poets write about many things. One is death.
Another is love. One could easily fill many book shelves with the love poems written just this year.
After working out this little ditty which touches on the part of death I call ‘the leaving and being left,’ I discovered another jewel by John Updike. It looks at death from the point of view of the artist (his).
I’ve added the brief reading video of the Updike poem below. If you enjoy poetry, art, are an artist, or may face death someday, it is worth a couple minutes of your time, in my opinion.
Let me Die
Please don’t sigh, when I cry, just kiss me now
and let me die.
Let me go
now to be.
Look at me and you will see,
when again together,
in death we’ll be.
Sigh and walk away –
to live what life’s left for you,
Not to fret and do not let
us to mourn this life or even death.
We had our time in love sublime
as you kiss me now upon my brow.
Bill Reynolds 11/01/2018
Perfection Wasted by John Updike
Wow!
Look both ways; to life and to death.
Respectfully mind the gap; it’s where the dying lie.
A beautiful poem, Bill, although a difficult topic. Sometimes I think it may be easier to be the one dying than the one left behind… “to live what life’s left for you” – that line struck me! It’s so hard to see a life without your life partner by your side, or your soulmate. I liked the poem by Updike as well…the uniqueness of each of us. Live well today, Bill.
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Thanks, Sue 😇
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All too often death is a topic of distance. As part of life, I think you got it right: it really is important to love and celebrate life, with full understanding, in the end, we must let go. Sending smiles!
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Thanks, Maryann. I did not realize that I was publishing this during the ‘Day of The Dead’ in the USA. But I did.
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Good selection. Updike is someone I devoured in college. His short story ‘A&P’ is one of my faves.
As I may die someday, I read the poem carefully.
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Thanks. May you be forevah, joey.
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