Play Chase With Sorrow

Play Chase With Sorrow
© Surazeus
2022 12 16

I love how small green blades of tender grass 
twitch in the warm winter breeze of bright noon 
as if to sing with heart-enchanting joy 
about strange beauty of our spinning Earth. 
Little yellow leaves of the maple tree 
play chase with Sorrow in the happy grass. 

With brass astrolabe Ijliyyah designed 
I plot winding journey of my new quest 
to find the secret treasure of the mind 
hidden in carefree beauty of the grass. 
Children in the schoolyard during lunch break 
play chase with Sorrow in red winter light. 

The rambling stream slithers in apple groves 
to nourish flowers sprouting from our graves 
so I watch wind play in frail grass all day 
in deepening silence of winter eve. 
Wang An-Shih and I watch quick nervous birds 
play chase with Sorrow on the mountain slope. 

Between heaven of unreachable peaks 
the ever-flowing river of my heart 
sings over diamond sand of ancient times 
when I make flutes from frail dinosaur bones. 
The old blind fisherman asks me why I 
play chase with Sorrow around the whole world. 

My small wood river boat with empty baskets 
knocks restlessly against the rotten dock, 
but I hesitate to sail down the stream, 
leaving behind strangers I came to love. 
Holding hands, the grinning woman and I 
play chase with Sorrow in streets of her town. 

Though setting sun gleams on the icy lake, 
illuminating islands of lost souls, 
I keep on sailing past small villages 
as I follow the egret hunting fish. 
I invent names for things so my true thoughts 
play chase with Sorrow across misty lakes. 

Stopping on bridge over the deep abyss, 
I watch the winter moon sail among clouds 
till her face appears in mirror of light, 
so I hurry on signless roads toward home. 
Wind dances in prairie grass as wild horses 
play chase with Sorrow across the waste land. 

Weird revelation of blood-tinted clouds 
surprise my heart with love for nameless souls 
who wait under the willow tree for Death 
so I give them apples I stole from Heaven. 
Ravens in cemetery by the sea 
play chase with Sorrow in the Promised Land.