Alicia Ostriker




The Sorrow Triptych

The gift of tears
said the old woman
like the gift of laughter
is a kind of cleansing
a rinsing out
I discovered this as a child
when my grandfather died
no more glasses of sugary tea
I cried a lot
prayed for him each night
grew a little older
a little more free

You see me droop
said the dark red tulip
you see my violent redness
growing a little brown
a little dry
where I was moist
you see the hinges of my petals
subtly loosen
like old roof tiles
like a heavy flag taken down
and folded up while the day
is still bright the sun still shining

I try always to be obedient
to do the pleasing thing
in bed with them
I don’t bounce around
I am quiet as can be
it’s so nice lying between them
under their cotton quilt
they smell so good
said the dog
there was no reason to make me leave the room
or to have pushed the door until it clicked
honest to god I wish dogs could cry