-- The Cycle of Desire --

John Herlihy

In light of the human predicament,

The cycle of desire runs its course.

From thoughts of achieving fulfillment,

To the feelings of lingering remorse.

Wanting

The bricks in our foundation,

To follow the instincts of human will.

Pursue the senses to enjoy every sensation,

To know what we desire and want it still.

In the depths of our despair

Does the mind not want release from its misery?

Needing

The life of earth provides the basis of our needs,

The ground upon which our beings will grow.

The physical, mental, and spiritual planted as seeds,

With love as prime emotion in our garden to sow.

In depths of its empty cavern,

Does the heart not need the presence of the loved one?

Missing

Mother, father, loved ones vanished into the past,

Feelings as waves in an ocean of recurring rhythms.

That wash upon our heart’s shore, spent at last,

Yet continue to echo in our minds as sacred hymns.

In the height of winter frost,

Does the wheat stalk not miss the blessing of rain?

Longing

From the depths of our inner earth, buds arising,

From seed to bud to bloom hoping to see the light.

A driving force born of a wild energy surprising,

Awakened from slumber in the stillness of the night.

In the darkness of the night,

Does the sparrow not long for the dawn?

Yearning

Skies may grow dark and seas may rise high,

Nothing can prevent the surge of human desire.

To trust in the promise that our hopes never lie,

We yearn for what we believe, our hearts on fire.

In its craggy mountain refuge,

Does the eagle not yearn for the open skies?

The cycle of desire will forever run its course,

Written into the signature of all that we are.

To pursue where yearning takes us, no remorse,

Beyond the Aurora Borealis to the North Star.

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Copyright © John Herlihy

Thursday 29 September 2022