Poem: Last Night As I Was Sleeping

Last night as I was sleeping,
I dreamt—marvelous error!—
that a spring was breaking
out in my heart.
I said: Along which secret aqueduct,
Oh water, are you coming to me,
water of a new life
that I have never drunk?

Last night as I was sleeping,
I dreamt—marvelous error!—
that I had a beehive
here inside my heart.
And the golden bees
were making white combs
and sweet honey
from my old failures.

Last night as I was sleeping,
I dreamt—marvelous error!—
that a fiery sun was giving
light inside my heart.
It was fiery because I felt
warmth as from a hearth,
and sun because it gave light
and brought tears to my eyes.

Last night as I slept,
I dreamt—marvelous error!—
that it was God I had
here inside my heart.

     Antonio Machado, translated by Robert Bly

 

 

 

 

Linguistic contours

But remember that words are signals, counters.
        They are not immortal.
And it can happen - to use an image you'll understand -
    it can happen that a civilisation can be imprisoned in a linguistic contour
        which no longer matches the landscape of... fact.

                                                    Brian Friel, Translations

 

 

 

 

 

Little civilizations

Every single one of us is a little civilization
    built on the ruins of any number of preceding civilizations,
        but with our own variant notions
            of what is beautiful and what is acceptable –
                which, I hasten to add, we generally do not satisfy
                    and by which we struggle to live.

                                        Marilynne Robinson, Gifted

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Your true home

Your true home is in the here and the now.
    It is not limited by time, space, nationality, or race.

Your true home is not an abstract idea.
    It is something you can touch and live in every moment.

With mindfulness and concentration, the energies of the Buddha,
    you can find your true home in the full relaxation
        of your mind and body in the present moment.

No one can take it away from you.
    Other people can occupy your country,
        they can even put you in prison,
            but they cannot take away your true home and your freedom.

                    Thich Nhat Hanh, Returning Home

 

 

 

 

 

Stay

If we want things to stay as they are,

            things will have to change.

                    Giuseppe Tomasi de Lampedusa, The Leopard

 

 

 

 

 

 

Song lyrics: My Back Pages

Crimson flames tied through my ears
Rollin’ high and mighty traps
Pounced with fire on flaming roads
Using ideas as my maps
“We’ll meet on edges, soon,” said I
Proud ’neath heated brow
Ah, but I was so much older then
I’m younger than that now

Half-wracked prejudice leaped forth
“Rip down all hate,” I screamed
Lies that life is black and white
Spoke from my skull. I dreamed
Romantic facts of musketeers
Foundationed deep, somehow
Ah, but I was so much older then
I’m younger than that now

Girls’ faces formed the forward path
From phony jealousy
To memorizing politics
Of ancient history
Flung down by corpse evangelists
Unthought of, though, somehow
Ah, but I was so much older then
I’m younger than that now

A self-ordained professor’s tongue
Too serious to fool
Spouted out that liberty
Is just equality in school
“Equality,” I spoke the word
As if a wedding vow
Ah, but I was so much older then
I’m younger than that now

In a soldier’s stance, I aimed my hand
At the mongrel dogs who teach
Fearing not that I’d become my enemy
In the instant that I preach
My pathway led by confusion boats
Mutiny from stern to bow
Ah, but I was so much older then
I’m younger than that now

Yes, my guard stood hard when abstract threats
Too noble to neglect
Deceived me into thinking
I had something to protect
Good and bad, I define these terms
Quite clear, no doubt, somehow
Ah, but I was so much older then
I’m younger than that now

                                 Bob Dylan 

 

 

 

 

 

For my mother

I grew up watching you
And made up my mind early to be like you.
I was going to know everything about people, books, and life.
I was going to do things right.
I was going to go places.
I was going to know things --
Life most of all.
As sure as I was of you,
I was going to be that sure of myself.
Well I’m not sure of much of anything anymore,
Except a few things I learned from watching you.
That the world doesn’t owe you anything.
That water is a precious commodity.
That even if you don’t make your bed every day, you still have to lie in it.
That if you want to dance, you have to pay the fiddler.
That people are more important than things.
That poverty isn’t shameful, but arrogance is.
That almost anything you dislike in someone else you will find in yourself.
That it’s easy to be right, but it’s harder to be sure.
That a smile and good manners are your passport to the best places in the world;
And when you get there, it will remind you of home.
See, I was paying attention.
I still am.