word/WORD

2006

Any word I use is an attempt
to dress some larger concept down
into a parcel I can hold ...

But You do not need ships, or pre-packaged symbols to hold your thoughts.

You do not struggle to affirm what you mean,
even to Yourself.

You precede all things
and You could not begin to search for words
to convey what You mean, when You KNOW everything You mean,
all at once, all the time

and can only mean less of it, by telling it to us.


NO--

Searching happens in Your wake, when and where You grant it.
And these words that tumble from our mouths
must be like trinkets, given to the sightless dumb.

I say “tree”
and see a jagged outline from a photograph I took last week ...
You say “tree” (for me)
and see every tree
with every twig, at every stage of growth
holding every bird
or syrup molecule ---
bent into every stair-rail or piano
that ever is, or was, or will be
as they exist, inside of every eye---
or reconstituted into termites of the world ...
(or something like that)

So, God ...
Do You need words to talk? Or think?
Can You hold a conversation?
(Not so much with us, but with Yourself,
when You commune among Yourselves)
in blessed Trinity.
in perfect unity.

No disagreement, no misunderstanding,
nothing to learn about Yourself,
or grow into(?)

When You speak to us,
do you translate down
into Hebrew, French, or cow?

From What?

Do you teach whales to speak?
Are you fluent in all languages at once?
Are Your words so big
that they would split our heads;
or is every tree or man or word or germ,
something like a thought from your mind?

And, How is it that the Holy Spirit groans?

I know that You are not the World
nor the son of a World
that it should take a world
to hold You.
But does it take a world for You to speak
the language of Your heart?

--

In the beginning was the WORD
And the WORD was with God
And the WORD was God

And the WORD was made flesh

And dwelt among us.

-

Dear Lord ...

You know that I am puzzled;

You know I am not well;

You know I bruise my mind on the language of Hell ...

But teach me as You speak
to hear Your WORD.

And may Your perfect Words
to my imperfect ears
fill my mind with worlds
I never could have imagined.

.