I have seen the sun break throughto illuminate a small field
for a while, and gone my way
and forgotten it. But that was the pearl
of great price, the one field that had
treasure in it. I realize now
that I must give all that I have
to possess it. Life is not hurrying
on to a receding future, nor hankering after
an imagined past. It is the turning
aside like Moses to the miracle
of the lit bush, to a brightness
that seemed as transitory as your youth
once, but is the eternity that awaits you.
R. S. Thomas
4 comments:
I've loved this poem since I discovered it several years ago after some British bloggers suggested I'd probably like R.S. Thomas.
Thanks for reminding me.
Beautiful words. Perfect reminder in the middle of my day. Thank you.
Wonderful poem, a new poet for me.
Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for reminding me of this lovely poem. R.S.Thomas lived a few miles from here, in Eglwysfach, though I never met him.
It's interesting how light is so often equated with the supernatural or divinity, as in halos for instance; I see it as a sort of continuance of sun worship. Apparently the word for 'god' in many Indo-European languages stemmed from IE 'deivos' which is connected etymologically with the verb 'div', 'dyu,' 'to shine'.
Winter has returned to Wales: cold, gales, hail, snow flurries, driving rain. I hope the late emerging daffodils won't give up hope!
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