Living is a form of not being sure,
not knowing what next or how.
The moment you know how, you begin to die a little.
The artist never entirely knows.
We guess.
We may be wrong,
but we take leap after leap into the dark.
--Agnes de Mille
Living is a Form of Not Being Sure
There are all kinds of dark.
You close your eyes in fear, exhaustion, or prayer
and dark is there.
The sun sets, the clouds roll in, you step into shade
and dark is there.
Your mind fills with unmarked roads, closed doors, gaping chasms
and dark is there.
There are all kinds of light.
You open your eyes in hope, anticipation, or gratitude
and light is there.
The sun rises, the clouds roll on, you step into sunshine
and light is there.
Your mind takes leap after leap into the dark, guessing, risking
and light is always there.
©Mary Lee Hahn, 2020 (with help from Agnes de Mille)
Amy has this week's Poetry Friday Roundup at The Poem Farm.
The light is always there. Thank you, Mary Lee. xo
ReplyDeleteYes, the light is always there, and we also have much to learn from the dark. Have you read Barbara Brown Taylor's LEARNING TO WALK IN THE DARK? It blew my mind and changed how I think about dark.
ReplyDeleteHaving faith is a good way to live, then one does find light. Thanks, Mary Lee, an answer that will push away all the questions.
ReplyDeleteThis is exactly what I needed in this moment. Thank you
ReplyDeleteI love your repeated line, "the light is always there" but it would not be as powerful without, "the dark is there." Wonderful poem. Thank you for this.
ReplyDeleteThis is a beautiful poem. I love those landing lines.
ReplyDeleteLovely. You and Amy's little mouse seem to be doing the same kind of thinking.
ReplyDeleteSo glad that the light is always there.
ReplyDeleteSo comforting, Mary Lee! And YOU are a light I always look forward to hearing from.
ReplyDeleteThis lovely poem speaks to my one little word, Mary Lee. Chiaroscuro. Chiaroscuro. Chiaroscuro.
ReplyDeleteI love the contrasts: You close your eyes in fear, exhaustion, or prayer/and dark is there. and You open your eyes in hope, anticipation, or gratitude/and light is there.
ReplyDeleteIndeed you are a light. I was going to recommend the same book that Kay did. Thank you for being you. xx
ReplyDeleteThe Uses of Sorrow
by Mary Oliver
(In my sleep I dreamed this poem)
Someone I loved once gave me
a box full of darkness.
It took me years to understand
that this, too, was a gift.
The light is always there! Such wisdom, Mary Lee. Thankyou.
ReplyDeleteLove how you've written this hope-filled poem about my OLW, light! It's going into my notebook.
ReplyDeleteWithout the dark, we can not have the light. Your message is a welcoming and comforting, Mary Lee. Thank you. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for this wise poem, Mary Lee. I constantly need reminding that "the light is always there."
ReplyDeleteRepeat. Repeat. Repeat. Dark. Light. Dark. Light. Not being sure.
ReplyDelete<3
This is a lovely and comforting poem. Living in the not knowing feels hard, but the light is always there.
ReplyDeleteCome light, especially after dark of night–that morning light sings of hope, thanks Mary Lee!
ReplyDeleteLove this, Mary Lee. The light and the dark are always there. When you can lean into the light, life is better...
ReplyDeleteThank you, Mary Lee. Struggling some days to find the light, but you're right, it's always there.
ReplyDelete