Saturday, November 26, 2016

2014: A Hymn by Ursula Leguin


Our prophets lead our people on
     Fast to the promised land,
And where we pass, the green of grass
     Turns to bare brown sand.

So high our cities' towers soar
     Above the deep-set fault,
Immense they rise into the skies,
     Pillars of cloud and salt.

Impatient with the patient day,
     We rush to gain tomorrow.
Our ships that plough the seas with nets
     Leave a long, empty furrow.

Our quick inventions spend our time
     Faster and ever faster,
While kind and unforgiving Earth
     Endures our brief disaster.

For all we do is nothing to
     Her bright eons of days.
So let my dark tune turn and end
     As all song should, in praise.

And in the hope of wisdom yet,
     I'll sing the hymn that praises
Earth's greater life that gives us life,
     the grace that still amazes.  

Ursula K. Leguin, from Late In The Day - Poems 2010 - 2014