In 2014 I went to see Oprah in Miami for a weekend event. I remember looking in the workbook we received and saw a Derek Walcott poem included in the pages! I had never seen this poem before. Later in the day, when Oprah was about to read the poem, she started by saying the title and who it was by. At the mention of Walcott’s name, I let a loud “Woo-hoo!” which I think is an appropriate response for a Caribbean person to exclaim loudly when another Caribbean person is mentioned on an international stage! I remember Oprah saying that she loved the poem, and as a memory of our Oprah experience, I printed and framed it for my lovelies that accompanied me on the trip. My hope for everyone reading this is that the time will soon come when you (as the poem shares) constantly greet yourself and all your perfect imperfections with a smile, compassion, and admiration for all you have accomplished. Hope you enjoy the poem:
Love After Love by Derek Walcott
The time will come when, with elation you will greet yourself arriving at your own door, in your own mirror and each will smile at the other's welcome, and say, sit here. Eat. You will love again the stranger who was yourself. Give wine. Give bread. Give back your heart to itself, to the stranger who has loved you all your life, whom you ignored for another, who knows you by heart. Take down the love letters from the bookshelf, the photographs, the desperate notes, peel your own image from the mirror. Sit. Feast on your life.
This poem is beautiful. Deeply meaningful. Thank you for sharing it
I am one of the lucky ones who has the poem framed on my wall. You are right it helps me to greet myself and remind myself that I appreciate me just as I am - Well done!