The Alchemist

(1990)

“Der Goldmacher is der einzige wahre Wohlthater der Menscheit.”                                                                                                Friedrich Nietzsche  

The simple shining of the world’s presence leaps forth in the alchemic Now of hope:

 transfiguring immediacy into fire,

 changing darkness into light.

We have seen- 

that knowledge cannot save, and founders in the despair of crumbling centuries:

discarded beliefs, lost paradigms flowing forever pastward,

towards oblivion, into dark.

We have seen- 

values, and the terrified face, struggle for the future listless against a backdrop

 of realities no longer believed, no longer loved- 

 disintegrating toward the twilight of unreality and myth.

And the centuries pound forward, adamant,

pressing us dark against the unknown face,

relentless-  knowledge cannot save,

merciless-  values do not sustain;

And we have seen ourselves- 

 belonging wholly nowhere,

in the dark of the unknown face- alone.

Yet the simple shining of the world’s presence leaps forth in the alchemic Now of hope!

and a fire scintillates even in this stillness!

It bursts forth shimmering, a silent spectrum of unknown sparks-

Despair dissolved in the great world work, even now.

And we see- 

emptiness shine forth its inner light,

beyond knowing, the golden glow breaking fast,

brilliant between concepts-

in radiance the silent paradigms surpassed.

And we see-

the simple shining of the world-presence,

embrace our being-in-the-world,

and lift us gently toward the sacred ceremony of hope,

The Eschaton breaks forth, redeeming value in the unknown light,

of the alchemic face, radiant in mystery,

gathering again the world,

and promising transfiguration- 

Our Transformation-  in the simple shining of the holy fire.

The world to be, beyond the nothingness of knowledge and utility,

 leaps forth that radiant face,

 in the alchemic light beyond being,

 that purifying pyre-

The world leaps forth, beyond the dingy paths of everyday,

out of the sacred silence of our being,

and toward the chemic mystery of the living moment,

a fire in our Now, until that Now is all.

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