Children I implore you
get out of the burning house now
three carts wait outside
to save you from a homeless life
relax in the village square
before the sky everything's empty
no direction is better or worse
east is just as good as west
those who know the meaning of this
are free to go where they want
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- Han-shan (Cold Mountain)
1 comment:
Han-shan, whose name means "cold mountain", is one of my favorite poets. I find something childlike about his approach. It's like he tried to deliver these profound messages but not so heavy-handed as to scare his flock, so he used a technique where he seemed to be speaking to children. I chose this poem for its expression of freedom--sort of an Augustinian "love God and do what you will" feeling. I think it's easy to see why it fits so well with Michael O'Brien's painting of Jesus and the Children.
But, what do you think the three carts could symbolize?
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