“We gather at night to celebratebeing human. Sometimes we call out lowto the tambourine. Fish drink the sea,but the sea does not get smaller! Weeat the clouds and evening light. Weare slaves tasting the royal wine.”

“We gather at night to celebratebeing human. Sometimes we call out lowto the tamborine. Fish drink the sea,but the sea does not get smaller! Weeat the clouds and evening light. Weare slaves tasting the royal wine.”

“Some nights stay up till dawn, as the moon sometimes does for the sun. Be a full bucket pulled up the dark way of a well, then lifted out into light.”

“Without you the instruments would die.One sits close beside you. Another takes a long kiss.The tambourine begs, Touch my skin so I can be myself.Let me feel you enter each limb bone by bone,that what died last night can be whole today.Why live some soberer way, and feel you ebbing out?I won't do it.Either give me enough wine or leave me alone,now that I know how it isto be with you in constant conversation.”

“If we come to sleepwe are His drowsy onesAnd if we come to wakewe are in His handsIf we come to weepingwe are His cloud full of raindropsAnd if we come to laughingwe are His lightning in that momentIf we come to anger and battleit is the reflection of His wrathAnd if we come to peace and pardonit is the reflection of His loveWho are we in this complicated world?”

“Listen, O drop, give yourself up without regret,and in exchange gain the Ocean.Listen, O drop, bestow upon yourself this honor,and in the arms of the Sea be secure.Who indeed should be so fortunate?An Ocean wooing a drop!In God's name, in God's name, sell and buy at once!Give a drop, and take this Sea full of pearls.”

“All day I think about it, then at night I say it.Where did I come from, and what am I supposed to be doing?I have no idea.My soul is from elsewhere, I'm sure of that,And I intend to end up there.This drunkenness began in some other tavern.When I get back around to that place,I'll be completely sober. Meanwhile,I'm like a bird from another continent, sitting in this aviary.The day is coming when I fly off,But who is it now in my ear who hears my voice?Who says words with my mouth?Who looks out with my eyes? What is the soul?I cannot stop asking.If I could taste one sip of an answer,I could break out of this prison for drunks.I didn't come here of my own accord, and I can't leave that way.Whoever brought me here will have to take me home.This poetry. I never know what I'm going to say.I don't plan it.When I'm outside the saying of it, I get very quiet and rarely speak at all.We have a huge barrel of wine, but no cups.That's fine with us. Every morningWe glow and in the evening we glow again.”