Piéta
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O Lord thou art hard on mothers
I understand the ying and yang
The one hand and the other
The double-edgéd sword
The cord that's cut but never
Severed, tie that binds
Forever fish-hooks in the heart
But lord thou art hard on mothers
I understand such ecstasy
The headlong dive and fall
Regardless, coup de foudre/ thunderclap
Will come with fearful price
With love the dread in equal part
The wordless watch the wish the want the will
From newborn bliss
To anguish cut in stone
Marble Mary, Piéta
Madonna come to this
O lord thou art hard on mothers
28th April, 2010, Bondi, after Padraic H Pearse 'The Mother', for us all, but most especially the newest, Tamsin, with love
He certainly is. When my first child Jamie was born, his great Granma said "when they are little they make your arms ache and when they get bigger they make your heart ache", being young myself I didn't quite realise what she meant, not seeing my "big boy" as often as I would like can make my heart ache. What a bond!
ReplyDeleteThat is such a beautiful tender and true thing your grandma said, Gill. A bond indeed, and now I find, even unto the next generation of course. We would not I know have it otherwise....
ReplyDeleteFrom Sue P:
ReplyDeleteThe poem moved me greatly. tears were shed at the imagery.