Saint Bernard in the fields at Clairvaux. For Hilary.
That day as the sun set,
its afterglow flooded the world with light
like the meeting of heaven and earth; then
the great bell of the abbey tolled the vesper;
the workers in the fields lowered their scythes
and bowed their heads or knelt on the sharp stubble;
a grasshopper rested on the rough hem of my robe;
nature held its breath and knew eternity
I listened as the echo of the bell
took all my listening, and then
was heard no more; but listening remained;
the silence became full of all things, and
all things were praise and
all things were love and
all things were understanding:
there I heard no other;
there I saw no other;
there I understood no other;
but was infinity itself
love itself is understanding;
understanding is itself all love.
-Michael Shepherd
3 Responses
This is so beautiful. To read it and re-read it, to pause and linger , to taste the infinite in the words, to sit with it until I and the poem become one. This is Lectio Divina.
At this time of year I always feel on the threshold of so many emotions and beautiful this poem reminds me to sit still , stop and just listen. Thank you
grace itself. loverly. thank you