Shelter in Poetry - Sophie Laettner "A Southern Element: Of the same element"
Duke English Majors present: Shelter in Poetry,” a series dedicated to sharing some of our favorite poems as we shelter in place. Here we join the efforts of @williamsenglishdepartment" and the Academy of American Poets (#shelterinpoems), among others, to bring solace and solidarity to these uncertain times.
A Southern Element Collection
by Sophie Laettner, 20
English
2020 Terry Welby Tyler, Jr. Award for Poetry Winner
Of the same element
Ces deux mois,
have passed so quickly
where we guarded our “e”s
or dropped themand the decision made all the difference.
Yet malgré,
despite the fact,
even though I am very far away,
the past reaches me here -
touches me lightly -
like a shadow and a short breath -
mais,
at least it is lighter now.
Sometimes that scares me -
if, I fear that I can't feel anymore,
or I no longer care -so light is both wave and particle -
so is not the ocean also -so then, am not I? not also? also me?
being -to be -
both light and particle and movement and constant change -
yet of the same element.
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