Hymn to the Blind

Below is a poem I wrote a few weeks ago but felt hesitant to publish at first because it occurred to me that it could lend itself to two or three different misinterpretations, each of which would be not only erroneous but rather unfortunate. I won't go into what those might be, because I don't want to color your view of the poem, especially in a bad way.

I also will not positively interpret the poem for you, because that is against my poetic religion. If asked what the poem means, I would follow the example of T. S. Eliot and repeat it back to you line by line. There is also some wisdom to poet/librarian Archibald MacLeish's dictum that "A poem should not mean, but be."

The only thing I will point out is that it makes reference to a couple of ancient myths. The poem came to me as I lay awake in the middle of the night, at least in a rudimentary form, and I wrote it down and fleshed it out the next day. I also will point out a technical feature, which is that it is meant for two voices. The lines on the right hand side are for the second voice.

***

HYMN TO THE BLIND

O ye gods that know not time
I pray thee take and make her mine

I sing

I sing

I sing

With my lyre I shall pluck
The finest flower from the earth

Away from the sun

Away from light

With my song I shall lead
The fairest maid from light of day

Into darkness

Into night

Darkness befall her brilliant eyes
That in blesséd night she might see

Away from the sun

Away from light

Her face like snow upon still water
Her wings like sacred birds of ice

Into darkness

Into night

O ye gods that know not time
I pray thee take and make her mine

I sing

I sing

I sing

I shall lead her weak and wintry hand
To the deep secluded hallowed grove

Away from the sun

Away from light

Her tongue shall taste the pomegranate
Its blood red juice shall stain her lips

Into darkness

Into night

She shall lie on a river of forgetfulness
Transported to a depthless night

Away from the sun

Away from light

I shall lead her with wounded eyes
Into a dim and dreamless bliss

Into darkness

Into night

O ye gods that know not time
I pray thee take and make her mine

I sing

I sing

I sing

The daylight’s pallid blasphemy
Shall be slain by my votive lyre

Away from the sun

Away from light

She shall be the queen of night
Her eyes become a holy fire

Into darkness

Into night

I shall bestow her secret name
She shall glow a radiant star

Away from the sun

Away from light

In her surrender made divine
Her heart shall beat within mine

Into darkness

Into night

O ye gods that know not time
I pray thee take and make her mine

Away from the sun

Away from light

I sing

Into darkness

Into night

I sing

Away from the sun

Away from light

I sing

***

Steven Holland
July 5, 2012