One Art - Elizabeth Bishop

The art of losing isn't hard to master;
so many things seem filled with the intent
to be lost that their loss is no disaster.

Lose something every day. Accept the fluster
of lost door keys, the hour badly spent.
The art of losing isn't hard to master.

Then practice losing farther, losing faster:
places, and names, and where it was you meant
to travel. None of these will bring disaster.

I lost my mother's watch. And look! my last, or
next-to-last, of three loved houses went.
The art of losing isn't hard to master.

I lost two cities, lovely ones. And, vaster,
some realms I owned, two rivers, a continent.
I miss them, but it wasn't a disaster.

---Even losing you (the joking voice, a gesture
I love) I shan't have lied. It's evident
the art of losing's not too hard to master
though it may look like (Write it!) like disaster.


---

again, this is In Her Shoes we're talking about. thanks Kimbo (long time no hear!) for the copy&paste.

i shall withhold from saying too much about my interpretation of this poem, but to put it short, sometimes, it's not just about failures instead of victory, but it's about letting go of things, of people, of property. as valuable as it is, sometimes, letting go is the best way.

and also, coz of the movie, i shall get a dress for my mum. (go read it)