Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Thank you, Jenn

Kindness


Before you know what kindness really is
you must lose things,
feel the future dissolve in a moment
like salt in a weakened broth.
What you held in your hand,
what you counted and carefully saved,
all this must go so you know
how desolate the landscape can be
between the regions of kindness.
How you ride and ride
thinking the bus will never stop,
the passengers eating maize and chicken
will stare out the window forever.

Before you learn the tender gravity of kindness,
you must travel where the Indian in a white poncho
lies dead by the side of the road.
You must see how this could be you,
how he too was someone
who journeyed through the night with plans
and the simple breath that kept him alive.

Before you know kindness as the deepest thing inside,
you must know sorrow as the other deepest thing.
You must wake up with sorrow.
You must speak to it till your voice
catches the thread of all sorrows
and you see the size of the cloth.

Then it is only kindness that makes sense anymore,
only kindness that ties your shoes
and send you out into the day to mail letters and
purchase bread,
only kindness that raises its head
from the crowd of the world to say
it is I you have been looking for.
and then goes with you everywhere
like a shadow or a friend.



- Naomi Shihab Nye

9 comments:

  1. What an incredibly sad and beautiful poem. Are you okay? Going home tomorrow? I wish you safe travels, happy homecoming, sweet, gentle landing.

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  2. WOW. I love this poem. It speaks so deeply and widely of what life teaches us, particularly by the time we are "mid-life." I love it when you remind me about poetry. For some reason, I forget to read it these days. Thank you.

    Thank you for your kindness to me. You always encourage me, no matter what is going on in your own life. Thank you for that.

    Looking forward with you to your homecoming. There is really no place like it. xoxoxo

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  3. What a beautiful poem. Thank you for it.

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  4. Ms. Nye is one of my favorite poets and I own all of her books. She's an amazing poet and human being. Great post!! Blessings!

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  5. My favorite poem. I feel a thrill of kinship when I find others who love it too. True kindness is hard-won. I know that you know kindness.

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  6. An amazing work. Thanks for sharing it.

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  7. Amazing poem.We have been going through a rough patch (I hope it will resolve soon) in our personal life and feeling this fear of losing everything.Maybe there is a lesson for me to learn amidst all of this.

    Thank You,

    Anita

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  8. "Before you know kindness as the deepest thing inside,
    you must know sorrow as the other deepest thing.
    You must wake up with sorrow.
    You must speak to it till your voice
    catches the thread of all sorrows
    and you see the size of the cloth."

    I've never heard or read this poem. It is full of truth and beauty. I especially liked the above verses. Thanks so much for sharing with us. Hoping you are on your way home and the traveling is not too arduous.

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  9. Good luck on your travels home tomorrow!

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