My own heart
Gerard Manley Hopkins
My own heart let me more have pity on; let
Me live to my sad self hereafter kind,
Charitable; not live this tormented mind
With this tormented mind tormenting yet.
I cast for comfort I can no more get
By groping round my comfortless, than blind
Eyes in their dark can day or thirst can find
Thirst's all-in-all in all a world of wet.
Soul, self; come, poor Jackself, I do advise
You, jaded, let be; call off thoughts awhile
Elsewhere; leave comfort root-room; let joy size
At God knows when to God knows what; whose smile
's not wrung, see you; unforeseen times rather — as skies
Betweenpie mountains — lights a lovely mile.
I came across this Gerard Manley Hopkins poem a week or so ago, and immediately the first line went straight into me. "My own heart let me more have pity on." It's a variation of what I try to tell myself and what I sometimes tell others, "Be kind to yourself." My sister tells me, "Be a friend to yourself." Would you treat a friend this way? If not, don't treat yourself that way either.
