Mercy of Refusals

My desires are countless and my cry is pitiful
but you always save me by your hard refusals
and this strong mercy, this tough love
has penetrated and spread wholly into my life.

Daily you make me worthy of the simple
but greater gifts you give me unasked such as
this sky and the light, this body and the life
with a mind saving me from the perils of my desire.

There are times when I lazily linger
and times when I hurry toward my goal
but you very cruelly hide yourself
from my face and my disciplined feel.

Daily you make me worthy of your acceptance
packed with your complete and constant refusals
refusing me ever and ever so immediately
saving me from risks of weedy and vague desire.

Adopted from Tagore’s Gitanjali, poem 14

Henry Victor          26.09.2012