Lake and Maple
Jane Hirshfield
I want to give myself
utterly
as the maple
that burned and burned
for three days without stinting
and then in two more
dropped off every leaf;
as this lake that,
no matter what comes
to its green-blue depths,
both takes and returns it.
In the still heart,
that refuses nothing,
the world is twice-born—
two earths wheeling,
two heavens,
two egrets reaching
down into subtraction;
even the fish
for an instant doubled,
before it is gone.
I want the fish.
I want the losing it all
when it rains and I want
the returning transparence.
I want the place
by the edge-flowers where
the shallow sand is deceptive,
where whatever
steps in must plunge,
and I want that plunging.
I want the ones
who come in secret to drink
only in early darkness,’
and I want the ones
who are swallowed.
I want the way
the water sees without eyes,
hears without ears,
shivers without will or fear
at the gentlest touch.
I want the way it
accepts the cold moonlight
and its it pass,
the way it lets
all of it pass
without judgment or comment.
There is a lake,
Lalla Ded sang, no larger
than one seed of mustard,
that all things return to.
O Heart, if you
will not, cannot, give me the lake,
then give me the song.
I WAS hoping that someone would write something that would make it feel possible to respond to something on the blog. Oh, well.
Comment by jennifer — July 29, 2008 @ 10:38 pm
And we want that for you.
I have a sense from this poem and from your “watch-response” email that there is sprouting tendril, a trying on of this verb, to want. Whether its nature is akin to grass or perennial or maple seems less important than its nascence.
Comment by adam — July 30, 2008 @ 8:36 am
Peace, Peace, Peace
–Sylvia Chidi
Peace,
Bring it on
Peace, peace
You do no wrong
Peace, peace, peace
You are strong
Stronger then hatred
Stronger than fear
Stronger than the dark powers
of a troubled mind
Peace
Stay with me
Peace, peace
Flee not, try to be kind
Peace, peace, peace
Why hath thou so tough to find?
Comment by smiling — July 30, 2008 @ 8:49 am