Thursday, August 03, 2006

Ode To an Enemy

My friend Rama has written a very moving poem that I want to share.

Dear friend, enemy,
doubly am I beholden to you:
for it was your ceaseless attack
that drove me to the depths of my being
to find my true self -responsible, inviolable, precious.
But more than that, it is through trying to find
your most compassionate and protective core
within the mist of your supposed enmity
that I am plunged grieving, sobbing, breathless,
into intimate love for you
from which I emerge unvanquishable,
having drunk of the elixir of life.

How then can I but be utterly at your mercy?
I shall suffer in silence -not your slings and slander,
which were merely phantasms of my own creation;
nor for missing your friendship,
for I have been and am one with you;
but this futile loss of precious life
flung cheaply into the bog of sloth
to be compacted and thrown into the flames of purification.
There shall you be, friend; friendless
while I, your enemy, grieve your absence.

For only in the fullness of all
lies my own.

6 Comments:

Blogger anonymous julie said...

I really, really like this.

5:06 PM  
Blogger rama said...

Dear Friend, thank you for your kind appreciation. I spent a long time going through the "Israeli bunker" blog linked to your blog. That and related sites - all giving their own views to demolsih other views, left me very disturbed. Who really cares for peace?

1:30 AM  
Blogger CE said...

Not running away from all the confusion is perfect serenity.

2:21 AM  
Blogger Andrew said...

What Julie said.

8:16 AM  
Blogger anonymous julie said...

what Imemine said.

11:18 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

A lovely poem that rings with truth and compassion. Where are the men that value peace more than honor?

7:53 PM  

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