The War For Heaven

Mystical poem and Hymn To The Dead 4. Dedicated to my late teacher, A. D. S. Written 11-6-24.

1.
“Do you believe in the Good?”,
The Old Man asked me slyly,
As we made our winding way,
Through the Santa Cruz streets

“Do you believe in the True?”
His wheelchair kept pace,
Exactly and always beside me,
As I took his instruction

“Do you believe in the Beautiful?”,
He turned to look in my eyes,
“Do you believe that these things,
Are worth fighting for?”

The tender child I once was,
A person I can barely recall,
Turned to my beloved superior,
And swore the oath

2.
A lifetime later I sit at night,
Surrounded by the loving,
Confounded by the ethical,
And weary from the weight

Those oaths taken then and now,
To Serve, to Suffer, and to Love,
To Know, to Will, to Dare,
And then to sadly Keep Silent

To seek and serve the Good,
In whatever form I find Them,
To live in loving relationship,
With all that I encounter

All of these things he taught,
All of these things he gave,
All of these things he passed on,
And through him, I was initiated

3.
But there was a burden,
Hidden behind his sacred teachings,
A weight that was already,
Dimming his brilliant blue eyes

The Great Work wears you down,
Even as it raises you up,
A lifetime spent trying to become,
Someone that touches the Divine

Looking the world in the eyes,
Every moment of every day,
While again and again,
The world breaks your heart

But then you pick your heart up,
Put it firmly back on your sleeve,
Wipe the blood off your face,
Smile, and go back in for more