Take a deep breath now
Slowly release it
Draw another
Hold it longer
Slowly breathe out
Feel your soul sigh
In your minds eye
That place where you store life
Call forth the color blue
And without aid of visual clues
Think of how you would describe it
To one born blind.
Call forth a moving song
And how you would explain it to
A boy born deaf + mute.
Explain homelessness to one born of money
Explain gay love to the Pope
Explain the embargo to a native Cuban
Explain your sexuality to your parents
Your friends,
Your lover.
Words are imperfect for some things
Were I able to share my thoughts with you directly
We would understand each other better
Our lives would be enriched
And much of the mystery would be lost.
Explain love to the bitter
Explain faith to the fallen
Explain hope to the broken
Explain resurrection to the grieving
If mystery were no more life would be different
Not necessarily better but certainly different.
Would there still be war?
Or hunger?
Or fear?
Would we know love?
Joy?
Self?
Would all be bliss?
Or would life be canceled due to boredom?
Explain your depression to a stranger
Explain a joke to your sister
Explain your poetry to your grandmother
Explain coffee to an unbeliever
Words may fail
And the mystery remains
In this life words are what we have
Savor them as you seek to explain.
Last updated: March 29, 1999 Created + maintained by Bob Gill.