Mourning has broken

Posted on September 19, 2019 Updated on September 19, 2019

Mourning has broken
like the first mourning
Our tears have spoken
like the first tear
Praise for salt flowing
Praise for our mourning
Praise for grief slowing for us to bear.

[a rewriting of “Morning Has Broken” by Eleanor Farjeon]

***

breaking
tearing
ripping

This morning, before I get into the work of the day, I’m thinking about grief and how it can be a healing force. How breaking-tearing-ripping can refer to brutal acts of violence but can also refer to movements that rupture whatever it is that holds us back. Like when I buy a product all wrapped in plastic and cardboard and I need to find my way in, get through the packaging, release the product in order to use it.

I’m thinking about how grief
-responds to tears and wounds
-manifests itself through tears
-tears down some of the defenses we so easily erect, tears open some of the plastic packaging we wrap ourselves in