Today is Willa Cather's birthday, which might have completely escaped my attention if not for a Facebook note from a priest in Rome.
Fr. Scott and Garrison Keillor were on the same page, though, and here's the poem for today on The Writer's Almanac:
L'Envoi
by Willa Cather
Where are the loves that we have loved before
When once we are alone, and shut the door ?
No matter whose the arms that held me fast,
The arms of Darkness hold me at the last.
No matter down what primrose path I tend,
I kiss the lips of Silence in the end.
No matter on what heart I found delight,
I come again unto the breast of Night.
No matter when or how love did befall,
'Tis Loneliness that loves me best of all,
And in the end she claims me, and I know
That she will stay, though all the rest may go.
No matter whose the eyes that I would keep
Near in the dark, 'tis in the eyes of Sleep
That I must look and look forever more,
When once I am alone, and shut the door.
~~~~~
Another Cather link:
~~~~~
Fr. Scott, we miss you! Come home and talk literature with us.
~~~~~
6 comments:
My, what a cheerful poem!LOL!
Seriously, though I have never read any of Willa Cather's poetry before, only her novels. Now I will have to look into her poetry (and hopefully it is all just as lovely, but not all so dreary!) Thanks for the heads up.
Not a happy-clappy one, is it? :)
I have to confess that I am not familiar enough with Cather's poetry to do selections justice, so I just went with the Writer's Almanac pick.
:)
It is lovely but so sad.
"'Tis loneliness that loves me best of all." That line makes me shiver.
Yes, this is so lonely - yet beautiful. Thanks for sharing.
Hmm...I think I'll stick with Cather's prose!
Gosh, I love melancholy poetry, so I just loved this. Reminds me of the mood, though not the voice, of some of Jane Kenyon's poems. Thanks for sharing:>)
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