Stray Birds

then dies without leaving its signature. 230 Let him only see the thorns who has eyes to see the rose. 231 Set bird's wings with gold and it will never again soar in the sky. 232 The same lotus of our clime blooms here in the alien water with the same sweetness, under another name. 233 In heart's perspective the distance looms large. 234 The moon has her light all over the sky, her dark spots to herself. 235 Do not say, "It is morning," and dismiss it with a name of yesterday. See it for the first time as a new-born child that has no name. 236 Smoke boasts to the sky, and Ashes to the earth, that they are brothers to the fire. 237 The raindrop whispered to the jasmine, "Keep me in your heart for ever." The jasmine sighed, "Alas," and dropped to the ground. 238 Timid thoughts, do not be afraid of me. I am a poet. 239 The dim silence of my mind seems filled with crickets' chirp--the grey twilight of sound. 240 Rockets, your insult to the stars follows yourself back to the earth. 241 Thou hast led me through my crowded travels of the day to my evening's loneliness. I wait for its meaning through the stillness of the night. 242 This life is the crossing of a sea, where we meet in the same narrow ship. In death we reach the shore and go to our different worlds. 243 The stream of truth flows through its channels of mistakes. 244 My heart is homesick to-day for the one sweet hour across the sea