The October Palace

by Jane Hirshfield

Ripeness is
What falls away with ease.
Not only the heavy apple,
the pear,
But also the dried brown strands of autumn iris from their core.

To let your body
love this world
that gave itself to your care
in all of its ripeness,
with ease,
and will take itself from you
in equal ripeness and ease,
is also harvest.

And however sharply
you are tested -
this sorrow, that great love -
it too will leave on that clean knife.