Let Us Hurry

Junko O'Neill

Let Us Hurry

Let us hurry to love people they depart so quickly
the shoes remain empty and the phone rings on
what's unimportant drags on like a cow
the meaningful sudden takes us by surprise
the silence that follows so normal it's unbearable
like chastity born simply from despair
when we think of someone who's been taken from us.

Don't be sure you have time for there's no assurance
as all good fortune security deadens the senses
it comes simultaneously like pathos and humor
like two passions not as strong as one
they leave fast grow silent like a thrush in July
like a sound somewhat clumsy or a polite bow
to truly see they close their eyes
though to be born is more of a risk than to die
we love still too little and always too late.

Don't write of it too often but write once and for all
and you'll become like dolphin both gentle and strong.

Let us hurry to love people they depart so quickly
and the ones who don't leave won't always return
and you never know while speaking of love
if the first one is last or the last one first.

Jan Twardowski


A poem for my friend who misses her mother.

Another "let" poem for the collection. I just stumbled across it and that first line stopped me short. We learn from death to love fervently. I don't know of many poems that manage to cram it all in like this one does (I wish he'd left the dolphin part out, but that's just me). That line "don't be sure you have time"  - that's the kicker. We really do benefit from a sense of urgency - may our senses always be awake and alive to the fact that the time to love is now.