The Big Heart
Big heart,
wide as a watermelon,
but wise as birth,
there is so much abundance
in the people I have:
Max, Lois, Joe, Louise,
Joan, Marie, Dawn,
Arlene, Father Dunne,
and all in their short lives
give to me repeatedly,
in the way the sea
places its many fingers on the shore,
again and again
and they know me,
they help me unravel,
they listen with ears made of conch shells,
they speak back with the wine of the best region.
They are my staff.
They comfort me.
They hear how
the artery of my soul has been severed
and soul is spurting out upon them,
bleeding on them,
Messing up their clothes,
dirtying their shoes.
And God is filling me,
though there times of doubt
as hollow as the Grand Canyon,
still God is filling me
He/she is giving me the thoughts of dogs,
the spider inits intricate web,
the sun
in all its amazement,
and a slain ram
that is the glory,
the mystery of great cost,
and my heart,
which is very big,
I promise it is very large,
a monster of sorts,
takes it all in—
all in comes the fury of love.
—Anne Sexton
“Too many things are occurring for even a big heart to hold”
—From an essay by W. B. Yeats
May Peace Prevail
what a beautiful poem of grace and soul friends who know our heart even when we are sure it is too wounded to carry on.
Yes, Sexton is one of my favorites. Did you get your award last night. If not, please go and get it. It is the Versitle Blogger Award. Hugs, Barbara
small world – I just read another quote from sexton – and about her sad end – and then thought of Plath – and well, nice selection to share. Peace! 🙂
I understand but their words make us stronger human beings, and understanding women. Hugs, Barbara