W.S. Merwin is the son of a Presbyterian minister, but he studied Zen Buddhism later in life, which became very influential in his poetry. Today’s religious poem is “The Lantern” by W.S. Merwin:
A little way ahead each is alone when you see it you are there already in one respect for in that world nothing can break ... so at last there is only the single one alone held together by nothing so the question of belief never arises that is the place of a god for god is alone ... he holds in each eye differently in each hand differently one emblem of one aspect of his difference each time it is single ... each time it is different from a different side each time it is the same ... well once you are there can you speak if you were going to speak at last which would you speak to ... far away an empty lantern is swinging Image of no one carrying it you start to follow it to see his face
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Merwin’s mind is amazing. I read this poem several times and have only brushed the surface. Didn’t know about his Presbyterian connection. Thanks for sharing this.