On the islands of flowers

Where the ocean is a floating carpet

Of roses

Where I can see with closed eyes

Death is a paradise river

On which the barque of a girl's body

Sails

Chanting eternity

Of which mortality

Is just

Another chord

Another song

So the heart of times lives

Without tears

I ate of her fruits

And my soul asked

No question

I shall not be asked

Of my birth

The singing bow

From which my arrow descended

Into the diamond sea of heaven

Had no goal

It rests

In its motion

That shall not be started nor halted

Nor cease

This hand's strength

Has no source

But the blooming river

Of time

A river of no waves

That exists

And does not

The word is a breath

Floating like a wind ship

Upon the fire

To keep its current

Aglow

You shall neither doubt

Nor shall you be certain

You shall love

You shall touch my lips in vain

You shall be air

You shall be cloud

Your eyes shall caress

This world

Of which you know

Nothing

You knew not

I sought not

Our hearts chant:

Ia Orana Maria

 

 

(Ia Orana Maria [Maori: Ave Maria] is the title of a painting by Gauguin)