A Return by Elizabeth Jennings

I have come back to life today,

I have come back into the world of moons and suns

And flowers and trees leaping into the light

And all the Earth a-dance.

Somebody told me that I nearly died.

I never knew till today I’d been near death,

Was reduced to half-a-breath,

But I am back and I understand Lazarus

Although he truly died.

I know why he could not say

What death was like. There’s nothing to compare

That country with. But I

Am back with a slightly faulty memory

And a muddled mind. Nonetheless,

I am back rejoicing with an easy air

And beautiful men and women and children who

Smile at me and I smile back and O

I simply want to bless.

The relief and gentle, letting go exultation of the breath when we arrive at the ‘O’ captures the monumetal recognition of the bleesing of being here, still, present and alive. Anyone who has been ill, perhaps seriously, perhaps awaiting news around illness and medical verdicts can find powrful identification with this poem.

I first met the poem on the excellent Get into Reading Training( GIR) course run by Casi Dylan and Jane Davis for Bolton University. I rememeber reading this poem out aloud twice and finding myself deeply moved by the moment when I reached the ‘O’.

So much time we may live and not attend to the daily, minutely magic of just being lucky enough to enjoy health, to be presently here.  To be Lazarus with his miracle.

We need to pay more attention and yes, ‘O I simply want to bless.’

A poem to carry with you always.