Poemander

Shadows, darker than night, groping beneath, stumbling.

Walls, insurmountable walls are my footprints to these shadows.

They stagger and trip without the knowing,

They disappear into the night.

I was like them, lurching and falling,

I was like them, besieged with the plight.

Numerous are they, the figures of darkness.

Yet hark, they bed sparks from the radiant might.

These sparks are still latent, await to be kindled,

Into great fire burning so bright.

They sleep in thy heart deeply embedded,

Like old pyramid, they point to light.

Oh, people, ye heed to this transparent knowledge,

There's no safety other than courage,

Without the courage your life is all fright.

There's no salvation other than wisdom,

Without the wisdom all perish in night.

But in thy search reject not the darkness.

On reaching the sunshine take heed from the night.

So many have followed the fire of courage,

So many of you have climbed the height.

But dwell not on tops for you'r needing the balance,

The darkness is too being a measure of light.

On witnessing this I descend in caverns.

I mingled with shadows in alleys of night.

The quirkiest ones were still of resemblance,

Were still of the kind that shimmer inside.

And knowing they not that they too will develop,

They too will absorb what you've learnt to recite.

That's why I'm obliged to keep on returning.

That's why I'm obliged to tell what is right.