-- The Blessing of Tears --

John Herlihy

The sadness appeared like a full moon,

Slowly rising over the horizon of the soul.

The sadness a cloud that hovered overhead,

Then settled within the earth of the body,

First as a light rain, then as a heavy rain.

This the moment the heart was waiting for.

The heart patiently waits for the body to weep.

The cloud of sorrow bursts into a flood of tears.

So many tears as if they had no way to stop,

So much sorrow as if it would never ever end.

The river of sorrow will always run its course,

Making its way silently into streamlets of tears.

The eyes know when to open their gates.

They see into the depths of the heart.

To find the source of the blessing of tears.

The pillow was soaked thoroughly thru,

And smelled of wet earth after a rainfall,

Now drained of feeling, exquisitely empty.

The emptiness making room for a sad smile,

Before falling into a deep and dreamless sleep.

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Copyright © John Herlihy

Wednesday 2 June 2021