Poetry for the Soul: “Love After Love” by Derek Walcott

Art by MorJer

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 your self.
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.

(found in his Collected Poems: 1948–1984.)

A brief musing by Anny: Derek Walcott's "Love After Love" gently unravels the intricacies of self-discovery and self-compassion, inviting us on a journey of introspection. The poem's verses resonate like a soothing balm, soothing the wounds we often inflict upon ourselves in the pursuit of external validation. As the words weave a tapestry of acceptance, we realize that the most profound relationship we can cultivate is with our own being. The imagery of arriving at one's own door and smiling at the reflection in the mirror speaks volumes about the healing power of self-love. The line, "You will love again the stranger who was your self," evokes a gentle recognition of the parts of ourselves we may have overlooked or dismissed in the pursuit of external affections. In the banquet of life, we are urged to share the tangible, like wine and bread, and the intangible - the reclaimed fragments of our own hearts. Peeling away the layers, taking down love letters and desperate notes, is a poignant metaphor for shedding the weight of expectations and embracing one's authentic Self. "Sit. Feast on your life." These words linger, encouraging a mindful celebration of every moment and fostering a connection with the essence of who we are, capturing the gift of self-nurturing. Like a wise friend, the poem whispers an invitation to celebrate the reunion with oneself, creating a space where self-love blooms and echoes through the chambers of our existence.