Thursday, July 31, 2008

Thursday Poem - Quiet Friend

Quiet friend who has come so far,
feel how your breathing makes more space around you.
Let this darkness be a bell tower
and you the bell. As you ring,

what batters you becomes your strength.
Move back and forth into the change.
What is it like, such intensity of pain?
If the drink is bitter, turn yourself to wine.

In this uncontainable night,
be the mystery at the crossroads of your senses,
the meaning discovered there.

And if the world has ceased to hear you,
say to the silent earth: I flow.
To the rushing water, speak: I am.

Rainer Maria Rilke, Sonnets to Orpheus, Part Two, XXIX
(translated by Anita Barrows and Joanna Macy)

4 comments:

One Woman's Journey - a journal being written from Woodhaven - her cottage in the woods. said...

Beautiful. My heart needed this.

Anonymous said...

Incredible photo, beautiful poem.

Lil said...

cate, it's 1am and i just wrote a very personal and painful post...one that poured out of me, that put itself into words i couldn't for years.

and reading this...tonight of all nights... *sigh*

Jamie said...

Simply awe inspiring. Thanks for sharing...