.
LOVE AFTER LOVE
by Derek WalcottThe time will come
when, with elation,
you will greet yourself arriving
at your own door, in your own mirror,
and each will smile at the other’s welcome,
and say, sit here. Eat.
You will love again the stranger who was your self.
Give wine. Give bread. Give back your heart
to itself, to the stranger who has loved youall your life, whom you ignored
for another, who knows you by heart.
Take down the love letters from the bookshelf,the photographs, the desperate notes,
peel your own image from the mirror.
Sit. Feast on your life.
.
Happy Valentine’s Day! Don’t forget to share the love with YOURSELF!
Linda has this week’s Poetry Friday roundup at TeacherDance.
Read more about Derek Walcott and hear his poem read aloud at The Marginalian. Today’s image is from Unsplash.
A(nother) Year of Reading 
What a good one for today! Thank you, Mary Lee. That was just what I needed to read.
LikeLike
Love the image and the words. Getting introduced to new poets and their words is the lovely thing about Poetry Friday. Have a good weekend!
LikeLike
Mary Lee, an important message! Thank you for sharing that heartfelt reminder.
LikeLike
So good to read this one again today!! Thanks for the reminder!!!
LikeLike
Yes. I’ve not read this poem before. It is a keeper. Thank you for sharing it today.
LikeLike
Yes, the words mean a lot, Mary Lee. “Give back your heart
to itself“. Thank you!
LikeLike
This is a poem I needed to read today. I’m going to copy it in my journal. Thanks for sharing it!
LikeLike
Thank you for this, Mary Lee. It is indeed important to “give back your heart to itself.”
LikeLike
(2nd try) An excellent poem for right now, and also for aging me :>D
LikeLike
Mary Lee, what a gorgeous love poem to ourselves. It is a good reminder, for how can we love others without loving ourselves. Thank you for this Valentine’s Day gem.
LikeLike
”you will love again the stranger who was yourself” says a lot about getting older. Thanks for sharing this poem. It is a keeper.
LikeLike
Oh, wow – Thank you for sharing this welcome perspective, Mary Lee! I’ll keep thinking on this poem, I’m sure…. :0)
LikeLike
I love this one, Mary Lee. A perfect choice.
LikeLike
Yes! In all the talk of romance, we must never forget to love ourselves – after all, while others may come and go, we’ve always got ourselves. ❤
LikeLike