Monday, December 10, 2007

Why Do You Love Me At All?

Why Do You Love Me At All?

My love wouldn’t do
To rustle the hem of your billowing train;
To jostle a lock of your silvery mane:
So why do you love me at all?

My love wouldn’t do
To slow down the sand once it’s started to run;
To lighten the load of your suffering son:
So why do you love me at all?

My love hasn’t served
To drag my own soul from the shadowy cave,
To keep my friends out of their too-early graves,
Or soften the blow of their loss
My love hasn’t served
To raise me above the unworthy ideas
That dwindle my surplus to desperate arrears –
And so I am moved to inquire:

I finally ask
So late in the day at the top of the stairs
I was able to climb because your loving care
Has kept me from tumbling down
I finally ask
As if only now do I see what is true:
I am completely dependent on you -
Why do you love me at all?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

"This Tribe" is beautiful and haunting. All three poems seem to reflect a certain saddness. Very moving...

Anonymous said...

I was not sure my other comment went through. "The Tribe" is beautiful and haunting. All three poems seem to reflect a certain sadness. All are very moving.