Sunday 15 November 2009

MARINA i

Why should I go to view the grave
In which Marina's body lies
Since saint nor angel will apprise
Her soul of thoughts the visit gave?

What am I seeking to effect
Since she in shunning paths of night
And going straightway into light
Claimed no respect or disrespect?

And what would visiting achieve
For those who bore the hardest brunt
And still must thole the daily want
Except to make them freshly grieve?

I search for cause or motive; yet
It is through instinct that I know
That it is right that I should go
Simply since I do not forget.



This is the first of sixteen contemplations of Marina, the daughter of friends, who was born while they were on holiday on the Isle of Wight, and died immediately. I wrote this mainly on the island during a holiday there not long afterwards, in 1994.

2 comments:

  1. Baby Marina is enjoying eternity in heaven.
    But I am sure her parents think of her and grieve, we are frail humans. This a beautiful poem

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  2. dear david...i just saw you at amtita's and also your comment at felisol and i just want to tell you how i love the verse that you put at felisol's;

    "for he that has suffered in the flesh has done with sin, no longer to live the rest of his time in the flesh to men's lusts, but to God's will. 1 peter 4: 1,2"

    oh how full of truth this is!

    and now i have discovered these poems of marina and i will be glad to read them..
    her name "marina" means "from the sea".
    from terry, friend of amrita and felisol...

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I'm glad to hear how this strikes you!