Meditation On Leaving No. 1 In E Minor

maybe the fear of being left here
is enough punishment to bear
here on earth

after the others have flown
the cherishing, the ones who christened
who taught you day by day

maybe the real history of the world
is just the history of leaving of
being left here day after day

and in the evenings, too

after the others have gone
perhaps to return in dreams
or tried to, or what was left of them

or as someone, almost new
in brighter rooms.

and you come unglued or think you do
or you don't know what to do anymore
or even what words are for and shopping lists

and what is necessary, really?

maybe it will be enough
that we too have been left
that God will forgive our leaving Him

in Paradise alone:

and all our sin is only this:
that we left Home.
for what is worse than leaving after all

or being left here
after bright angels have gone
and it's no longer Christmas.

mary angela douglas 14 august 2015;8 march 2016