Nervous Illnesses
1 never saw so many people cry
Before these months: or cried myself so much.
There's little violence, very few here die, And yet a look, a sudden noise, a touch Can shake a world. There seems no reason why.
And some of us arc children once again— Clinging to hands, needing a Teddy Bear,
These things mean comfort where there's so much
pain; And we are told we must not interfere With other people. Yet one can't restrain A glance of understanding, otherwise We feel indeed inhuman, cut off from What seemed outside mere simple kindnesses.
This is a hdrne and yet it's not a home.
There is a battle behind all the eyes.
What is the answer? We are sick and know At times we cannot stand a moment's sight Of tear-stained faces or of hands which go Quickly to cover them. We've lost some light Which children, sinners, even blind men know;.
ELIZABETH JENNING
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