For those of us in urban environments, July begins with a bang, whether we want that or not. Teachings and teachers show up in surprising guises, and often what we think we are seeking is indeed beside the point. The image of the hookless fishing line makes me think of Jesus and the disciples who first had to set aside their nets before their journeys could continue.
May you hear your teacher's call to peace today.
My thanks to the World Community of Christian Meditation for bringing us this poem.
“Finding a Teacher,” W. S. Merwin, MIGRATION: NEW AND SELECTED POEMS (Port Townsend, WA: Copper Canyon Press, 2005), pp. 206-207
FINDING A TEACHER
In the woods I came on an old friend fishing
and I asked him a question
and he said Wait
fish were rising in the deep stream
but his line was not stirring
but I waited
it was a question about the sun
and I asked him a question
and he said Wait
fish were rising in the deep stream
but his line was not stirring
but I waited
it was a question about the sun
about my two eyes
my ears my mouth
my heart the earth with its four seasons
my feet where I was standing
where I was going
my ears my mouth
my heart the earth with its four seasons
my feet where I was standing
where I was going
it slipped through my hands
as though it were water
into the river
it flowed under the trees
it sank under hills far away
and was gone without me
then where I stood night fell
as though it were water
into the river
it flowed under the trees
it sank under hills far away
and was gone without me
then where I stood night fell
I no longer knew what to ask
I could tell that his line had no hook
I understood that I was to stay and eat with him.
I could tell that his line had no hook
I understood that I was to stay and eat with him.
No comments:
Post a Comment