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Unfolding-- to Dust
I
One morning when I unfolded
This was what I heard
In the fabric of a prayer shawl
From the hymnal of a bird
From the wolves was lamentation
From the serpent—a weeping sound
From the butterfly—a battle cry!
And the howling of a hound
In the silence I heard the answer
To God’s questions unto Job
In my breath I heard the broken sigh
When Joseph quit his robe
I heard the madmen settling down
I heard the scholars rail
Said the beggar “I am able”
Said the giant “I am frail”
I heard the rustling olive branch
Amid the whistle of the dove
Said the monarch “Here—your freedom”
Said the cynic “I’m in love”
II
One morning when I unfolded
This is what I beheld
In the streaming of the sunbeams
And the oceans as they swelled
I saw the canyons perish
I watched the rivers dry
The LORD re-writing history
In the corner of his eye
I glimpsed the Resurrection
I saw the kingdom come
I envisioned a modern exodus
And living martyrdom
The clouds performed a cosmic dance
The waters, in tune, did part
Through the ribcage of a ghost
I read a transparent heart
I saw the sages sorrowful
And the poets overjoyed
The stars with solemn voices
Stumbling into the void
III
One morning when I unfolded
This is what I felt
As the angels beckoned “come to us”
And the Summer whispered “melt”
I felt a certain sadness
But could not trace the source
Was it the grievance of the righteous man?
Or the wicked man’s remorse?
Then I felt a certain happiness
And knew from whence it came
The smile on my lover’s face
The healing of the lame
Laughter rippled through the air
Oh the ash of sacred fire
To heaven—dying men return
To life—we all retire
A caress, a kiss, a warm embrace
And I was swept away
By the fluidity of time and space
And the nakedness of day
IV
In honor of what came to pass
And all that is untold
I pray that we may sit quite still
To watch the world unfold
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This article has 21 comments.
I can't remember if I have told you this yet or not, but whenever I am craving some wonderful poetry, I always click onto you profile to quench my thirst, since I know your pieces will never let me down
I agree with Aderes, as well - you should definitely try to publish a book of your poetry. If you do, please tell me :)
On a slightly random note, what do you know of synesthesia?
That anyone would read my work in such a way gives me a little shiver of happiness that crawls up my back, and perches on my shoulder, and hops into my heart to end up as, ha ha, a 'little squeal of delight!'
The raven you saw must have been an omen, Stargirl; I've been reading about them in The Alchemist. Have you read that wonderful, wonderful book? Anyway, did the raven make any noise, or was it a silent raven?
I must read this waterless mountain, and see if my heart is mirrored and covered as well.
When I found this in my email yesterday, I gave a little squeal of delight, but I only read the first line last night. I wanted to read it when I had time to ponder, and truly write out a comment on the computer, my first impression fresh and fragrant on my mind. That, to me, is really the only way to read your work, however impatient I may be.
I wanted to tell you, I really the see a raven the other day, on the way out to our car. It wheeled softly in the sky overhead, but disappeared from sight behind a tree all too soon.
I love the first line of the poem. It draped itself around my heart immediately after I had read it. The whole poem rather reminds me of all that I read in "Waterless Mountain", a book that has managed to drape itself around my heart, and find itself mirrored there.
It is a joy to be reading a new poem of yours, it always is.
As for the kindred spirit,
When I wander in the desert
It seems to disappear
For want of my precious guide
I collapse in fateful fear.
But today I found that my spirit
Went in me, not away
To help me deal with the desert
And the nakedness of day.
Aderes, your comments are always bundles of joy and of sincerity, and I open the bundles, always, with delight.
By the chance that I ever get a book of poetry published, I will make sure to include you in the dedication for your encouragement. ;)
And we celebrate his/her return!
Here's the way I look at it, Liz.
God was always here, and God will always be here. He was there way before us, way before Christians, way before the church, way before humans, way before the earth. Perhaps you have trouble believing in God (if I understand correctly) because the God that people are convincing you to believe in isn't the God in which your heart yearns to believe.
How wonderful to hear that?
What faith issues have you struggled with (of course, you don't have to answer if you don't desire to)?
