For the Artist at the Start of Day

 

This piece of writing is from "Benedictus: a book of blessings", by John O'Donohue (see Amazon widget on the right). John is a most beautiful Irish poet and philisopher who died a couple of years ago at the young age of 49. I often listen to recordings of John's talks while I am making mosaics- they are an inspiration for anyone who is a creative seeker and lover of life. Enjoy.

For the Artist at the Start of the Day

May morning be astir with the harvest of night;
Your mind quickening to the eros of a new question,
Your eyes seduced by some unintended glimpse
That cut right through the surface to a source.

 

May this be a morning of innocent beginning,
When the gift within you slips clear
Of the sticky web of the personal
With its hurt and its hauntings,

And fixed fortress corners,

A Morning when you become a pure vessel
For what wants to ascend from silence,

May your imagination know
The grace of perfect danger,

To reach beyond imitation,
And the wheel of repetition,

Deep into the call of all
The unfinished and unsolved

Until the veil of the unknown yields
And something original begins
 
To stir toward your senses
And grow stronger in your heart

In order to come to birth
 
In a clean line of form,
That claims from time
 
A rhythm not yet heard,
That calls space to
A different shape.

May it be its own force field
And dwell uniquely
Between the heart and the light

To surprise the hungry eye
By how deftly it fits
About its secret loss.

© John O’Donohue. All rights reserved. For more about John's work visit www.johnodonohue.com