THE THREAD | there shall be no darkness or dazzling
Bring us O Lord to dwell in that house
Already dog-tired late morning, you lie down in the square of sunshine that stretches across the floor, the warmth of it penetrating your chest. When you wake, the square has moved off and away. You rise.
where there shall be no darkness or dazzling
Later in the afternoon on a long walk, you lift your eyes and notice how the uncluttered treetops let the rays of sun lance toward you. You close your eyes, look toward the source, and see the back of your eyelids glow.
but one equal light
In the evening the clouds drift northward while the earth with you on it turns away from the sun. The shafts of clouds warp-weft the sinking sunbeams. The pink frictions and fractures its way toward orange and white and red.
no fears or hopes
At night in your dreams you travel toward the farthest edge of the universe. Your voyage comes to an abrupt end the moment you arrive and recognize the sight of the back of your own head.
but one equal possession
You wake before dawn, wander out from the house, through the streets, and look west once again where the sun had vanished a matter of hours ago. Light lifts up behind you, begins to cast shadows again and anew. You rise.
(Italicized text by John Donne)
What I’m currently reading: Vivian Gornick’s The Situation and the Story, Henri Nouwen’s Reaching Out
What I’m currently listening to: Buckingham Nicks’ eponymous album, Punch Brothers’ Hell on Church Street, Kacey Musgraves’ Golden Hour
Thanks for reading,
Andrew