Gatehouse Poetry Club

One Art

The art of losing isn't hard to master;
so many things seem filled with the intent
to be lost that their loss is no disaster.

Lose something every day. Accept the fluster
of lost door keys, the hour badly spent.
The art of losing isn't hard to master.

The practice losing farther, losing faster:
places, and names, and where it was you meant
to travel. None of these will bring disaster.

I lost my mother's watch. And look! my last, or next-to-last, of three loved houses went.
The art of losing isn't hard to master.

I lost two cities, lovely ones. And, vaster,
some realms I owned, two rivers, a continent.
I miss them, but it wasn't a disaster.

...Even losing (the joking voice, a gesture
I love) I shan't have lied. It's evident the art of losing's not too hard to master
though it may look like (Write it!) like disaster.

E. Bishop


Are you interested in a poetry-reading group??
We meet thursdays from 6:30-7:00pm at the Gatehouse.
We all bring a piece of poetry to share -
it does not have to be something you wrote, but it could be!
If you are interested or want to find out more, just join us any thursday.
You are most welcome!
Patricia