Sinking and swimming again with the aid of poetry

Dear friends,

Before I get into the point of today’s post, I must apologise for apparently skipping Sunday.        By way of explanation, all I can comfortably offer is ‘I sank’. We all know that it’s perfectly possible to be going about our daily business and suddenly be blind-sided by a surge of grief.

Thanks to understanding friends, good music, and university reading material, I have come out on top once again. At the moment, the topic of study is Romantic poetry, and I have developed a certain affection for the work of William Wordsworth. Much of his poetry talks about nature, but it is easily applicable to grief, and to the particular experience of cyberloss.

In ‘Tintern Abbey’, Wordsworth writes:

That time is past
And all its aching joys are no more
And all its dizzy raptures
Not for this faint I, nor mourn, nor murmur
Other gifts have followed
For such loss I would believe, abundant recompence
[sic]

Wordsworth, W. ‘Tintern Abbey’ <http://www.rc.umd.edu/rchs/reader/tabbey.html> [Accessed 31/10/2012]

I’d be interested to know what you think, but I found that extract very comforting. It can be difficult to reflect on the gifts at first, but the gift of our online friends’ presence in our lives is something to celebrate, I think.

Just yesterday, I had the good fortune to come across this in a poem by William Cowper.

‘Grief is itself a medicine bestow’d
To improve the fortitude that bears the load
To teach the wanderer as his woes increase
The path of wisdom: all paths are peace’

Cowper, W. ‘from Charity‘ http://www.brycchancarey.com/slavery/cowperpoems.htm#charity
[Accessed 31/10/2012]

Please forgive the academic in me for the referencing. (I’m afraid to say it’s habit forming, so I’ll end up doing it more in future) I felt I had to share these passages with you, as they have been instrumental in bringing me back to standing following a little setback.

What are your favourite words of wisdom? Please feel free to share in the comments. 

Wishing you peace and strength on your journeys,

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