Cloud of Bright Darkness
From day to day and year to year
Gather the mists of bright darkness,
Obscuring all the wants and goals
That once stood forth in such bold clarity.
Upon the turning wheel of change
This petty self is strained and stretched,
Its knowledge and achievment lost
Within the depth of one great forming cloud.
Into this cloud I venture willingly,
Not unafraid, for fear and doubt and grief
And all the bonds of darkest ignorance arise
And pass as shadows in these mists.
Yet one great certainty I am allowed,
One lamp to light one footstep at a time:
That He is, Lord of Eternity,
Unborn, undying--this alone I know.
This cloud is formed and guided by His hand;
Its darkest reaches shimmer with His light.
Within its awesome void His presence dwells,
The still Lifebreath of luminescent night.
Lord, may I stand unmoved within these gales,
Seeking hope and faith and life itself in Thee.
Then may I recognize within this cloud
A kindness great enough to purge and burn,
Reforming and reshaping what is Thine--
All that which hitherto I dared call "mine."
That You are, Oh Lord--with this I go.
In lengthening shadow, I await your call.
Come in this cloud, hide and envelop me
Within its mists of all-embracing love.
In darkness blind me to all worldly hope
And steal from me all refuge that is vain.
This fragile self would melt into your night,
To be reborn in union with its Lord.
From ages without name this longing leaps,
To join You in a vast cloud's silent deeps.
Lord of our Hearts
Lord of our hearts, we hide ourselves in Thee;
Lord of our lives, no worldly eye can see
Thy Jewel shining ever brilliantly,
Thy kindness flowing for eternity.
In darkness sitting, waiting for Thy call,
In faith abiding in Thy Shadowed Hall,
Thy Presence blessing every silent form,
Thy Wisdom guiding through each passing storm.
In stillness now Thy solace sweetly dwells,
Thy Love transcending heaven, earth and hells.
Toward Thee we turn, Thy Teaching to embrace,
Toward Thee we turn within this Secret Place.
The Wind Bell
(Written shortly after the death of Rev. Master Jiyu‑Kennett, and dedicated to her.)
Dark winter night and tall firs sway;
The wind's soft voice from far away
Whispers through a wind bell ringing,
Sets my heart in stillness singing--
Singing silently of Thee.
How is it that it speaks so clearly
Of that secret flame so dearly
Nurtured through so many nights?
Now no shadow shades its light--
Inner light that comes from Thee.
How is it that a distant bell
One lonely night can, chiming, tell
Of others who have walked before,
Who beckon from the other shore--
Shore of Thy eternity?
And how remind of one great heart,
Separate, yet no more apart,
Vessel of Thy Water pure,
Living faith, forever sure--
Sure because at one with Thee?
Dark winter night and tall firs sway;
Drifting in from far away
Comes the voice of restless wind,
Stirs a knowing deep within--
Knowing our True Life in Thee.
Wind and Leaves
A myriad leaves, by one Wind blown,
A myriad leaves, each leaf alone
Wafted on its own true course:--
And all obedient to one Source.
The harmonies that thus are played
Are those the Wind Itself has made,
Not such as leaves can understand:--
Much less such as the leaves have planned.
The harmonies that thus are played
Are those the Wind Itself has made,
Chords transcending joy and grief:--
The Life of Wind in life of leaf.
Hold Fast to the Lord of the House
Sitting in darkness,
Looking through a tangle of pain and confusion:--
Hold fast to the Lord of the House.
The heart sees the Beautiful City through the obstacles;
The Heart knows the light within the darkness.
Sitting in darkness,
Every cry for help is heard and answered:--
Hold fast to the Lord of the House.
The heart is carried out into bright water;
The heart returns to darkness with certainty.
Walking through obstacles,
Each a facet of Eternal Life:--
Hold fast to the Lord of the House.
The heart listens for the Voice of the Lord;
The heart follows gladly.
Waiting in stillness,
Content with darkness, content with light:--
Hold fast to the Lord of the House.
The heart recognizes compassion in heaven and hell;
The heart relies night and day on the Eternal.
"Within Immaculacy there is a Path that
Leads away from the dust of the world."--
It is enough to know the Lord of the House.
Diving deep into the waters of our humanity,
The heart finds many precious jewels.
