Thank you, Chris!
I ended my first book, A Good Home, with excerpts from two poems that I love: William Wordsworth’s ode to the fields he played in as a child, and Nobel laureate Derek Walcott’s powerful reassurance.
William Wordsworth, from “Intimations of Immortality”:
“Though nothing can bring back the hour
Of splendour in the grass, of glory in the flower;
We will grieve not, rather find
Strength in what remains behind.”
Derek Walcott, from “Love After Love”:
“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.”
~~
Unknown to me, thousands of readers across the world would read my book, and some would return, time and again, to this last reassuring chapter.
So would I. As I…
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Cynthia Reyes 
Wonderful quotations! Especially the one by Derek Walcott. I will be copying into my daybook.
Glad you like it, Laurie.
Those are beautiful poems you included. I especially love that line “You will love again the stranger who was yourself.”
Which can be a difficult thing to do, I know.
A wonderful post! I have not read “Imitations of Immortality” in years but with age I appreciate it even more. All the best to you and the new book! It is on my reading list.
Thank you. I also suspect that as we age, and return to these poems, we see new/understand new things.
I’ve always loved the Wordsworth quote. Beautiful, Cynthia.
Glad you like it, Jill. Thanks for commenting.
I have to confess that I did not see the poems in the book. Thanks for posting them. I like the Walcott poem and have reread it three times…make that four times.
It’s that kind of poem.
A really great post Cynthia. I don’t think you need to worry about the success of your book! 😉
Thank you, Clare. I appreciate your kind words.
Beautiful poems! 🙂
Aren’t they?
Two great poems Cynthia. I particularly love Wordsworth. His ‘Tintern Abbey’ is one of my favourite poems. And as before marriage, my name was Wordsworth, I always feel a special kinship.
Tintern Abbey is one of my favourites too. Maybe you are related to W. Wordsworth!
I learned the Wordsworth poem at school and it comes back with familiarity. This is a lovely guest post Cynthia that resonates with the same sense of taking joy in the way life is lived as your books.
A great compliment, Andrea. Thank you.
Cynthia, I love the poem by Derek Walcott – I’ve never seen it before. Thank you for sharing that. (Wordsworth, too.) Thank you for sharing you.
Jeanne