upon the realization that your memoir
has
written itself, life will begin again
after you have taught the children to
walk and speak, and take the train to
work
by themselves, after the original
husband
stands posturing back somewhere beyond
your threshold, and the ashes of the
arduous
lover have dissolved into the cold northern
Atlantic, you will rise an hour after
dawn
on a cool morning, and stand in the
middle of a room that has carefully
held
every human emotion, with a soft cat
pressing against your leg, and a
warm cup in your hands, you will finally
recognize yourself for the first time
upon the realization that you will
struggle until you no longer fight,
you
will drown until you learn to swim,
you
must love yourself in spite of fear
and hatred in the world, you must
continue
on instead of giving up, you will suddenly
own yourself like tarnished brilliance,
the paragon on a forgotten shipwreck
© 8.24.2018 heather brager
