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 practise losing farther, losing faster:

places, and names, and where it was you meant

to travel. None of these will bring disaster.

I lost my mothers 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 loosings not too hard to master.

Though it may look like (Write it!) like disaster.

- Elizabeth Bishop

Hade den varit kortare hade jag tatuerat den. Jag är normalt sett ingen som läser dikter, och än mindre blir berörd av dem.