Monday, September 04, 2006

"On this spiderweb"       [rubai]

(i)

Each morning brings another day of you and me
I dangle on this spiderweb of poetry
the world without a poem would be too vacuous
the poem without a world would be a travesty

You seem to be an emptiness I cannot fill
you seem to be a reservoir I cannot spill
the activity of all beings may be orderly
and yet you seem to rest beyond all human will

Whatever way I turn   I only see the shade
suggesting there's a sun somewhere? I watch the fade
of shadows into greater dark   the universe
seems like the play of puppets in a grim parade


(ii)

Perchance I'll catch the surge of breeze   and waft
it's pleasant floating through the trees   the draft
of fancy grows mysterious   in its whimsy
perhaps it's how the heavens tease   the daft

Now autumn comes   and winter follows later
what have I done?   give me the operator
by telephone   I'll nag the ear of God
what area code   belongs to the Creator?

O let me settle down   to dimly simmer
from every verb and noun   I glean a glimmer
but fire I cannot spark from these vague glowings!
the country and the town   but show a shimmer


(iii)

The meaning that I seek   is always elsewhere
the line I yearn to speak   is always elsewhere
the happiness of living needs discovering
as if one had to sneak   what's always elsewhere

Confusion is the basis of the norm
delusion is the commonplace   we're born
within a town called No One Knows The Answer
illusion's veil is sturdy and untorn

If God may will   we'll surface from the night
if God may will   we'll grow into the light
whatever effort we make   though it seem bootless
if God may will   our pace may pull aright


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