WITHIN by Margaret Atwood

Outside we see a shrivelling,
but from within, as felt
by heart and breath and inner skin, how different,
how vast how calm how part of everything
how starry dark. Last breath. Divine
perhaps. Perhaps relief. The lovers caught
and sealed inside a cavern,
voices raised in one last hovering
duet, until the small wax light
goes out. Well anyway
I held your hand and maybe
you held mine
as the stone or universe closed in
around you.
Though not me. I'm still outside.

—Margaret Atwood

Excerpted from Margaret Atwood’s new book, Paper Boat.