Revelation Must Be Terrible - David Whyte (poema)

- ONE OF MY FAVORITES FROM DAVID WHYTE - 

 Revelation must be 
   terrible with no time left 
 to say goodbye.

 Imagine that moment 
   staring at the still waters 
 with only the brief tremor 

 of your body to say 
   you are leaving everything 
 and everyone you know behind. 

 Being far from home is hard, but you know, 
   at least we are exiled together.
 When you open your eyes to the world 

 you are on your own for 
   the first time. No one is 
 even interested in saving you now 

 and the world steps in 
   to test the calm fluidity of your body 
 from moment to moment 

 as if it believed you could join 
   its vibrant dance 
 of fire and calmness and final stillness. 

 As if you were meant to be exactly 
   where you are, as if 
 like the dark branch of a desert river 

 you could flow on without a speck 
   of guilt and everything 
 everywhere would still be just as it should be.

As if your place in the world mattered 

   and the world could 
 neither speak nor hear the fullness of 

 its own bitter and beautiful cry 

   without the deep well 
 of your body resonating in the echo.

 Knowing that it takes only 

   that one, terrible 
 word to make the circle complete, 

 revelation must be terrible 

   knowing you can 
 never hide your voice again.