My brother, in his small white bed,
held one end.
I tugged the other
to signal I was still awake.
We could have spoken,
could have sung
to one another,
we were in the same room
for five years,
but the soft cord
with its little frayed ends
connected us
in the dark,
gave comfort
even if we had been bickering
all day.
When he fell asleep first
and his end of the cord
dropped to the floor,
I missed him terribly,
though I could hear his even breath
and we had such long and separate lives
ahead.
Siblings! ! Strong Bond. Thanks for sharing this poem with us.
Great poem on love between siblings, every siblings have some kind of bond to share between them. This is very interesting one,10+++++
A strong bond of love always exists between the siblings no matter how far from each other they live. Very nicely crafted. Loved it.10+++++
i was already a fan before coming to this poem i had never read before. but what a lovely metaphor for the closeness that siblings might share. this illustrates spectacularly what macleish says in ars poetica—for all the history of grief an empty doorway and a maple leaf. but here the supple cord speaks eloquently and tenderly of love. -glen
When he fell asleep first and his end of the cord dropped to the floor, I missed him terribly, though I could hear his even breath //// lovely poem Not afar more than the near! A terrible near in memory But as loser!
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
Such a great poem by Naomi Shihab Nye.......................