Alive, A Glosa on Kabir for Mindful Poetry FOTM

from THE TIME BEFORE DEATH BY KABIR (version Robert Bly)

Friend, hope for the Guest while you are alive.
Jump into experience while you are alive!
Think...and think...while you are alive.
What you call “salvation” belongs to the time
zzzbefore death.

Sunday mornings Daddy took us to church
We sat and stood or knelt on the pew
I whispered my questions as I was told to do
“Is that God standing there behind the altar?”
“No, that’s the priest...God is invisible.” he replied
So I pondered on that as I was only five
“But where does he live?”
“God is everywhere and in heaven above”
My dad told the truth for he would not contrive
Friend, hope for the Guest while you are alive.

I grew more aware, remembered my prayers
Confessed my sins and took communion
With God I felt a certain union along with
The angels and saints
I tried to be good but I came up short
Perfection is impossible or so I’ve
Heard but I did my best and studied life
Moved to the city and discovered love
On my own I began to thrive
Jump into experience while you are alive!

My head in books, my heart in love
My life improved and expanded
Took a plane and in Paris landed
In a world so much bigger than I thought
Like the child who looked down in fear
From the edge of the pool’s high dive
I held my breath and jumped head first
Taking chances like I’d never done before
And I surfaced each time and I did survive
Think...and think...while you are alive.

Now silver threads fall from my head
Both heaven and hell weave into my days
Famines and feasts are familiar ways
My tears tell me I’m still alive and I
Laugh so hard I almost choke
Coughing I catch my ragged breath
And give thanks for the chance to breathe
The moon and I dance cheek to cheek
Nirvana swims within my arms breadth
What you call “salvation” belongs to the time
zzzbefore death