Tuesday, July 05, 2016
Is It the Night of Becoming? ––poem by Dorothy
IS IT THE NIGHT OF BECOMING?
(Modeled after a poem by Bibi Hayati,
early 19th century female Sufi poet)
Is it the night of becoming,
or only the touch of your hand
across my face?
In the manuscript of awakening,
is it the key words
or only the shadow
of your pen?
Is it the roses
blooming
in the secret garden
or only the pines
rising before you?
Is it the perfume
of the forest
or the scent of’
the breeze that carries you?
Is it the lightning
whitening the mountain
or the brilliant rays
of your eyes?
My longing and sighing
or the steady beat of your heart?
Is it the wine of
a ritual celebration
or the intoxication
of your presence?
Is it your all seeing vision
or the magic you weave
when you come?
Is this a hallowed sanctuary
or a place of ignorant passion?
Is it the moment of union
or only a mistaken dream?
Always I seek
to be close to you,
longing to see
your hidden face.
Dorothy Walters
My new book––Some Kiss We Want, Poems Selected and New––will be published very
soon. It has taken a long time, with some editors wanting to rewrite the poems according to their own taste, others seeking to make the poems conform to the Chicago Manual of Style (which is intended for academic writing.) Should anyone want a digital copy, I will be happy to send one.
