Saturday, August 15, 2026

Reading St John of the Cross's 'Song of the Soul'


Graphology Materialism 45: Mandyooranup

 

‘Su origen no lo , pues no le tiene,
            mas que todo origen de ella tiene,
            aunque es de noche.’

                        San Juan de la Cuz

 

 

Higher than most local terrain

            and overseeing the river.

 

I might reroute via carapace

            and feather, float on the strong-

            smelling limestone flower.

 

Tradies, working on an avenue’s

            mansions, take in the view

            and process their doubts.

 

Eddies over the river, slicks

            of surface tension, night

            held in by repetition.

 

Each point a renaming of renaming,

            the true name resonating

            as I drift back, floating.

 

Restoration of habitat, telescoped

            crane whose counterweight

            swings out over medusas.

 

What umbrage a god will take

            in my seeing you as the essence

            of matter, adjectival declensions.

 

A flotilla is neither the waterbirds

            gathering or leaves on the water

            as canoe paddles flicker.

 

Where the channel is deepest

            the heavy fish measure

            strokes towards sunset.

 

Always the fast boats cutting the skin

            and dispersing a prism

            with ‘natural’ frosting.

 

Keeping to the eucalypt’s wide shadow

            even when the sun is low,

            steps under the cliffs.

 

This is my prayer, San Juan de la Cruz,

            not far from Carmel with its walls

            and strait view of the street.

 

 

            John Kinsella

 

 

 

 

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