A blind man sat there alone,

In the lengthening shadow of a temple wall;

People who came to pray

At the temple told me he was the wisest of all.

I went and humbly asked him,

“O sage, what path of wisdom did you follow

Blind since birth as you are?

Sitting here the way to God you seem to know.”

“Blindness gave me this sight,”

He said, “showed me this path to see the song;

I see God O where you are,

Even as would a deaf hear the loud temple gong.”

And the deaf man told me,

“O hear what the moon says, the stars, the sun;

I can swear as they hurry

They raise a chant in praise of the silent One.”

A new dawn came from a sky of peace

And the grasses stirred with the wind;

Mute Nature in it awoke and took a road

A song, a poem of happy tunes to find.

Sight became swift and astronomic,

And footfall of silence the ears heard;

Tranquil heart bore no anguish to beat

And needed was no thought, no word.

Faith grew pure and wide, spontaneous,

And knowledge poured from a high cloud;

Old death was no longer a prop for life,

Instead life only its perfect sense allowed.

Six times did the soundless bell ring

And six seasons speeded just in one hour;

Amber-hued was the breeze that came

Carrying the time-transcendent’s power.

Spirit found a house to dwell in birth,

Not a gloomy rented place, lifeless room,

But a bright house for the stars to stay:

A flame was seeded in Matter’s womb.