"Als das kind kind war..."

In-flammable

It is dark,
I am dark,
But darkness is not any thing,
It is simply the negation of light.
O this little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine
But I've neither the match nor the inclination,
Only the reservoir of oil.

I am a darkened lantern, or
Better, an unused one.
Fresh from the factory but left on a shelf
For some dark and primeval night
So that I can cast away the not-thing
And give direction to action.
The wick has hardened,
And the glass grown dusty,
All I do is emphasise the black
By showing what it is not.
What I am not.

Stick a searching finger into me
And you find it viscous and thick.
I leave only a residue
That is not easily wiped off.
Oil is only removed by oil,
But squeezed of a different thing.

A struck match does not inspire
A flashlight does not enhance
They only show what did not exist
Until ignited.
Don't let Satan blow it out.

If I only negate, then I am negated.
Who is to say which is preeminent?
Without light there is no dark, and
Without dark there is no light.

There are enough lit lanterns.
I am happy to sit on my shelf and not see
Not things.

27 February 07


...and for something a bit less dreary, and quite a bit better, I was surprised today to receive this from someone.


Violets In My Lawn

I have violets in my lawn

I didn't plant them there
I planted them years ago where they no longer grow
I used to scold them "stay where you belong"

But now I like them growing in my lawn
Like little surprises, little presents, little loves
I want to stoop and kiss them sweetly

-Paula Willis, March 07