I measure every Grief I meet With narrow, probing, Eyes; I…
““I measure every Grief I meet With narrow, probing, Eyes; I wonder if It weighs like Mine, Or has an Easier size. I wonder if They bore it long, Or did it just begin? I could not tell the Date of Mine, It feels so old a pain. I wonder if it hurts to live, And if They have to try, And whether, could They choose between, It would not be, to die. I note that Some -- gone patient long -- At length, renew their smile. An imitation of a Light That has so little Oil. I wonder if when Years have piled, Some Thousands -- on the Harm Of early hurt -- if such a lapse Could give them any Balm; Or would they go on aching still Through Centuries above, Enlightened to a larger Pain By Contrast with the Love. The Grieved are many, I am told; The reason deeper lies, -- Death is but one and comes but once, And only nails the eyes. There's Grief of Want and Grief of Cold, -- A sort they call "Despair"; There's Banishment from native Eyes, In sight of Native Air. And though I may not guess the kind Correctly, yet to me A piercing Comfort it affords In passing Calvary, To note the fashions of the Cross, And how they're mostly worn, Still fascinated to presume That Some are like My Own.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Grief is a complex, layered experience that varies in intensity and duration, often compared to physical pain.
In simple terms: Grief feels like a lingering ache.
Key Takeaway
Allow yourself to feel and process grief.
Themes
loss
pain
human experience
Mood
reflective
melancholic
Type
poetic
philosophical
When to use this quote
- therapy sessions
- memorial rituals
- journaling
Key Concepts
grief cycles
emotional resilience
Questions to Reflect On
- How does personal history shape one’s grief?
- What practices help transform grief into growth?
A Different Perspective
Grief’s universality can mask individual differences.