What does that spell?

Love After Love

The time will come
when, with elation
you will greet yourself arriving
at your own door, in your own mirror
and each will smile at the other's welcome,

and say, sit here, Eat.
You will love again the stranger who was your self.
Give wine, Give bread. Give back you heart
to itself, to the stranger who has loved you

all your life, whom you ignored
for another, who knows you by heart.
Take down the love letters from the bookshelf,

the photographs, the desperate notes,
peel your own image from the mirror.
Sit. Feast on your life.

— Derek Walcott

Comments

[Brian]

What a great series of beautiful quotes. Thanks, they're very inspiring and thought-provoking.

It's a random coincidence, but I found your blog recently through another SF food blogger, someone you went to lunch with, maybe Eggbeater? And I noticed your last post was the one where you were closing up shop, but I put you in my RSS reader anyway, not even really sure of the reason, and then days later you reopen. What timing.

[Melissa]

Oh, I'm so glad to see those letters - you've been missed terribly!

[Tea]

Oh, that is beautiful.

And remember--we love you too! Enough to miss you terribly.

[Sean]

OBERT! OBERT! OBERT!

Glad to see the Sardine is open for business. I can't wait to see what you start dishing up.

[cookiecrumb]

Can this be true? Happiness?
Kisses to you, Brett.

[barbara]

and kisses from me too Brett.

[Tana]

Clearly you have come out of the darkness with treasure in your arms.

Bravo, Brett.

Bravo.

[Dumneazu]

I never deleted your link from my bookmarks... been checking to see when you might return. Hope we get to learn more from your masterful culinary skills soon!

[Virginia]

Hi, Brett~
Love your site! Especially the Bay Area Shortlist and poetic bent. I am a food writer and a poet myself - I freelance (food reviews) for a couple websites and have my own monthly newsletter site that came out of demand from friends & strangers the past years: www.theperfectspotsf.com.

Rumi, Anais Nin, Derek Walcott & Wendell Berry are among my favorite writers & poets. I love your literary infusion with another poetic pursuit: taste & food.

I've been to most of the spots on your excellent Shortlist & find many of them favorites of mine as well (I am an obsessed seeker of new food experiences, trying a few new places a week, as well as revisiting others, & I keep an extensive "best of" list which I use when writing personalized food itineraries for people.)

You look very familiar to me in your photo - maybe I have seen you around at one of our many favorite Bay Area spots?

I look forward to reading more of your blog,
Virginia
www.theperfectspotsf.com