Sunday, October 6, 2013

POEM OF THE DAY

Instead


For a long, long time
I went through life
Seeing black where there was white
And day where there was night

I saw hate where there was love
And laughter where there was grief
And if I looked very hard
I saw doubt where there was belief

While walking the streets
With my heart in a sling
I heard deaf men dance
And saw blind men sing

Instead of earth and sky
I saw rivers and lakes
And where there were people
I saw hissing snakes

For a long, long time
I looked in the mirror
And I could look all day
But nothing ever got clearer

Instead of perfection
I saw only flaws
And instead of two hands
I could see only claws

There are things in this world
That are not of this world
And at last I can see
How they influence me

There are things this world needs
More than words can express
That exist someplace else
Where they make more of less

I see these things now
Everywhere that I go
Though not actually present
I would make them be so

And I go through life
Seeing white where there’s white
Seeing black where there’s black
Seeing night where there’s night

I see love where there’s love
And see hate where there’s hate
I see doubt where there’s doubt
And see faith where there’s faith

I see earth at my feet
I see rivers and snakes
I see sky overhead
I see people and lakes

I can stand by myself
And look straight in the mirror
And before very long
What I see has grown clearer

There are things in this world
That are not of this world
But at last I can see
What I might make them be


D.E. Sievers


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