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Today, on March 19th, 2010, the site contains 196 poets, 8,692 poems and 8,370 comments.
Elizabeth Bishop - One Art

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.

Added: on December 2nd, 2008 at 2:55 PM | Viewed: 72275 times | Comments (47)


One Art - Comments and Information

Poet: Elizabeth Bishop
Poem: One Art

Poem of the Day on:
Oct 20 2004

Comment 47 of 47, added on March 18th, 2010 at 4:26 PM.
one art

at first this poem really meant nothing to me but as i read it,it really encouraged me not to lose hope even if lose something or someone important to me.

memory fadzai from Zimbabwe
Comment 46 of 47, added on February 12th, 2009 at 9:40 AM.

I first came across this poignant poem in Melissa Bank's short story collection "The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing." It went well with the theme of the book, and I've loved the poem and have been curious about Bishop ever since.

Nora from United States
Comment 45 of 47, added on December 2nd, 2008 at 2:55 PM.

I never heard of this poem until I saw the movie in her shoes wl Cameron Diaz & Toni Collette. Now it's my favorite poem!!!!

Lesly from United States

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