I originally created this poem in February 2008 and shared it on Facebook. With the events of this week, and of the last few months, and of this last year I’ve been reminded of it often, so I thought I’d share it again here.
With an open heart. I see your pain… I see my pain! There IS room for pain, for grief, for sadness.
Sadness ~ a poem
It knocks quietly, politely at the door.
I pretend to ignore it,
but there it is again.
I say go away,
but it doesn’t listen.
Here I am, it says.
I go to the back of the house;
but suddenly I hear the knocking inside me!
GO AWAY, I scream.
But there it stays, patiently waiting.
knowing it will be heard.
It knocks again,
and this time I feel it with my whole body.
NO, GO AWAY, I don’t want you, I don’t need you.
Breathless, I try to run away.
But there it is inside of me, in front of me.
Suddenly I collapse as I realize I need to see it,
must feel it.
It consumes me.
It is me.
I am it.
Then, gradually, I begin to see, hear, feel again.
What’s this, I’m still here?
Me, I’m still here.
But wait, sadness is still here, too.
Yes, says sadness,
I’ve been here all along; within you, waiting.
And suddenly I know sadness is a part of me.
Just as joy, happiness, love are with me always,
part of me.
And I rejoice,
knowing that next time sadness knocks at my door,
within me,
I will welcome it with open arms.