Miranda meanders

Oh the comfort—

       person —

the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a

having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words

but pouring them all right out,

just as they are,

chaff and grain together;

certain that a faithful hand will take and sift them,

keep what is worth keeping,

and them with the breath of kindness blow the rest

away.

DINAH MARIA CRAIR (1826-87)

This poem beautifully portrays the essence of friendship and the ‘inexpressible comfort of feeling safe’. Crair fluidly expresses how words are limitless, poured right out ‘chaff and grain together’. As I read this poem, I envisaged friends being like sieves. They can ‘keep what is worth keeping’. I love how she delicately ends the poem ‘ and with the breath of kindness blow the rest away’ suggesting a healing approach toward the problems we face and the hurt one can experience in their day to day lives. Almost like a parent blows gently on their child’s open wound. Friendship. An unbreakable bond.