33. AFFIRMATION

Welcome, World, with all your vinegar!
Welcome, Reality, triumphant beast!
Welcome, Sunlight, feast of splendor!
After the deep galaxies of my brainself
are done exploding
And the abrupt, calamitous young stars
     finished with their wild music
Welcome, subtle golden sunlight
who sting my narrowed eyes,
and ride the sweet summer wind in the
leaves, green airport of insects!
There is, after all, only one fate,
one destiny, bereft of gods and devils,
free of angels, demons, deaf to prayers,
mysterious to squinting diviners.

This is my destiny, limited but honored credit,
to take upon my shoulders if I chose —
     and choose I do,
like Bunyan wrapping the ox around his neck.
I want to carry my fate beyond the fence
toward the looming green-black forest
beyond the symphony of my best years.
As the dull black cipher
unfolds into a mighty dream,
so there is, again and again, only morning
to drive the night away: Precise,
rich in changing colors,
vibrant and harmonious guitar,
the well1-tuned life.
All things, from here, follow of themselves:
Dawn the night which follows day,
insight the dull cipher,
perfect mnemosyne the splendid here and now!