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Monday, November 28, 2011

The Mower


(Long Limb by Andrew Wyeth, 1917-2009, American
artist)

THE MOWER

The mower stalled, twice; kneeling, I found
A hedgehog jammed up against the blades,
Killed. It had been in the long grass.

I had seen it before, and even fed it, once.
Now I had mauled its unobtrusive world
Unmendably. Burial was no help:

Next morning I got up and it did not.
The first day after a death, the new absence
Is always the same; we should be careful

Of each other, we should be kind
While there is still time.

~ Philip Larkin (1922-1985), English poet, novelist, and jazz critic

1 comment:

Joyce Ray said...

Maria,
I did not know this poem, nor have I seen the Wyeth painting that complements the poem with a field. The poem is lovely, though sad, and the reader can feel the poet's grief. How true is the ending.