…to losing

There is no art 
to losing
the art 
is in the finding
the finding of loss

the art
is in recognising
that loss 
is intangible
that it cannot 
be held nor kept

for if loss 
has arrived 
in our heart
the object of the loss
is lost already

what remains 
is ours
how we live with it
or without it
is a choice

there is no art
to losing
we cannot 
deliberately
lose something
for something 
deliberately 
left behind
is not lost
we know 
where we left it
and why

there is no art
to losing
but then 
there is loss
the suffering
after the fact
after the losing

the dark caverns 
of loss
are deep 
and desolate
the debris 
of mourning
strewn hither 
and yon

the chaos 
unwittingly 
created
in the emotional 
maelstrom
that inevitably 
follows
the whirlpool 
of feelings

the heart 
overwhelmed
by memories 
and doubts

there is no art
to losing 
reaching 
for anything
and everything
to make sense 
of it all

falling willingly
into the currents
endlessly moving
in ever increasing
concentric circles

getting further away
from the centre
in every rotation
the centre
which is 
the starting point

the moment
when the concept 
of losing
becomes 
the reality of loss

and we finally
understand
that there is no art
to losing

© Ann Bagnall