carry that weight in poetry

Before enlightenment, you must go to the well every morning for water.
After enlightenment, you must go to the well every morning for water.

Before grief, you must go to the well every morning for water.
After grief, you must go to the well every morning for water.

Before war, you must go to the well every morning for water.
After war, you must go to the well every morning for water.
Hell, during war, you must go to the well every morning for water.

Before love, you must go to the well every morning for water.
After love, you must to the well every morning for water.
In-between, you must sometimes carry the water for two.
In love, that’s just what you must sometimes do.

No matter what happens, from the beginning until the end
you will have to do the common things of living
in good luck and despair
in glory and in shame
you have to do the simple things of living
breathing, eating, sleeping, eating, dreaming
none of that is going to change
make them all your life’s anchor
make them all what lifts you up
they’re what you’ll have either way
no matter what.

Before realizing that every morning you’ll have to go for water,
you must go to the well every morning for water.
After realizing that every morning you’ll have to go for water,
you must go to the well every morning for water.
These things will be your companion no matter what
may as well make them your treasured companion and
not your enemy.

Before writing a poem, you must go to the well every morning for water.
After writing a poem, you must go to the well every morning for water.
And that’s okay too.