Original Poem：
I write my God in blue.
I run my gods upstream on flimsy rafts.
I bathe my goddesses in foam, in moonlight.
I take my reasons from my mother's snuff breath,
or from an old woman, sitting with a lemonade,
at twilight, on the desert's steps.
Brown by day and black by night,
my God has wings that open to no reason.
He scutters from the touch of old men's eyes,
scutters from the smell of wisdom, an orb
of light leaping from a fire.
Press him he bleeds.
When you take your hand to sacred water,
there is no sign of any wound.
And so I call him supreme, great artist,
judge of time, scholar of all living event,
the possible prophet of the possible event.
Blind men, on bourbon, with guitars,
blind men with their scars dulled by kola,
blind men seeking the shelter of a raindrop,
blind men in corn, blind men in steel,
reason by their lights that our tongues
are free, our tongues will redeem us.
Speech is the fact, and the fact is true.
What is moves, and what is moving is.
We cling to these contradictions.
We know we will become our contradictions,
our complex body's own desire.
Yet speech is not the limit of our vision.
The ear entices itself with any sound.
The skin will caress whatever tone
or temperament that rises or descends.
The bones will set themselves to a dance.
The blood will argue with a bird in flight.
The heart will scale the dew from an old chalice,
brush and thrill to an old bone.
And yet there is no sign to arrest us
from the possible.
We remain at rest there, in transit
from our knowing to our knowledge.
So I would set a limit where I meet my logic.
I would clamber from my own cave
into the curve of sign, an alphabet
of transformation, the clan's cloak of reason.
I am good when I am in motion,
when I think of myself at rest
in the knowledge of my moving,
when I have the vision of my mother at rest,
in moonlight, her lap the cradle of my father's head.
I am good when I trade my shells,
and walk from boundary to boundary,
unarmed and unafraid of another's speech.
I am good when I learn the world
through the touch of my present body.
I am good when I take the cove of a cub
into my care.
I am good when I hear the changes in my body
echo all my changes down the years,
when what I know indeed is what I would
know in deed.
I am good when I know the darkness of all light,
and accept the darkness, not as sign, but as my body.
This is the A of absolutes,
the logbook of judgments,
the good sign.
Analysis and Interpretation of the Poem
This poem explores the complex relationship between faith, identity, and perception through vivid and symbolic imagery. The speaker writes about their personal conception of God and spirituality, portraying a God who is fluid, elusive, and beyond strict logic or reason. The poem uses color symbolism ("I write my God in blue") and natural elements like moonlight, foam, and fire to evoke a mystical atmosphere.
The speaker’s God is not a rigid or traditional deity but one who "scutters from the touch of old men's eyes," suggesting a divine presence that resists conventional wisdom and dogma. The poem emphasizes contradictions and paradoxes — speech is both fact and truth, yet it does not limit vision; the body and spirit are intertwined in a dance of perception and knowledge.
The poem also reflects on human experience and growth, with references to family ("my mother's snuff breath," "my mother at rest," "my father's head") and personal transformation ("I am good when I am in motion," "I am good when I learn the world through the touch of my present body"). It suggests a journey from ignorance to knowledge, from rest to motion, and from isolation to connection.
Background and Author Introduction
This poem is a work of contemporary poetry, likely written by a poet deeply engaged with themes of spirituality, identity, and the human condition. The use of rich, sensory language and symbolic imagery indicates a mature voice that blends personal experience with universal questions about existence and meaning.
The author’s background may include a strong connection to cultural traditions and a reflective attitude toward the nature of belief and knowledge. The poem’s references to “snuff breath,” “lemonade at twilight,” and “trading shells” hint at a cultural heritage that values oral history, ritual, and the natural world.
Reflections and Insights
Reading this poem encourages us to think about how we define our own beliefs and identities. It challenges rigid thinking and invites openness to possibility and transformation. The poem’s embrace of contradiction reminds us that life is complex and that truth often lies beyond simple explanations.
The imagery of movement, dance, and sensory experience highlights the importance of being present in our bodies and minds, learning from the world around us, and accepting both light and darkness as parts of ourselves.
Educational Value and Learning Points for Children and Students
This poem offers several valuable lessons for young learners:
- Understanding Symbolism and Imagery: Students can explore how colors, nature, and sensory details create mood and meaning.
- Exploring Abstract Concepts: The poem introduces ideas like faith, contradiction, and transformation in accessible ways.
- Encouraging Personal Reflection: It invites readers to think about their own beliefs, family, and experiences.
- Appreciating Poetry’s Musicality: The rhythm and flow of the poem can help students develop an ear for poetic language.
- Critical Thinking: Students learn to interpret complex ideas and recognize that some questions have no simple answers.
Practical Applications in Life and Learning
- Emotional Intelligence: Understanding contradictions and complexity helps children develop empathy and self-awareness.
- Creative Expression: Encouraging students to write their own poems about personal beliefs or experiences.
- Cultural Awareness: Discussing the poem’s references to family and tradition can deepen appreciation for diverse backgrounds.
- Language Skills: Practicing vocabulary related to senses, emotions, and abstract ideas.
- Philosophical Inquiry: Introducing basic questions about existence, knowledge, and truth in age-appropriate ways.
Reading Comprehension Questions
- What colors does the speaker use to describe their God, and what might these colors symbolize?
- How does the poem describe the relationship between speech and truth?
- What does the poem suggest about the nature of contradictions in life?
- How does the speaker feel about learning and moving through the world?
- What role does family play in the poem?
- Why does the speaker say they are "good when I know the darkness of all light"?
- What does the phrase "the clan's cloak of reason" mean in the context of the poem?
- How does the poem use sensory details (like sight, sound, and touch) to convey meaning?
Answers to Reading Comprehension Questions
- The speaker writes their God in blue, and describes God as "Brown by day and black by night." Blue often symbolizes calm, depth, or spirituality, while brown and black suggest earthiness and mystery. These colors reflect the multifaceted nature of the divine.
- The poem states "Speech is the fact, and the fact is true," indicating that speech conveys truth, but it also acknowledges that speech does not limit vision, suggesting truth is broader than words alone.
- The poem embraces contradictions as essential to human experience, saying "We cling to these contradictions" and that we will "become our contradictions," highlighting the complexity of identity and desire.
- The speaker feels positive about learning and movement, expressing that they are "good when I am in motion" and when they "learn the world through the touch of my present body," showing a dynamic and engaged approach to life.
- Family is important as a source of reason and comfort, with references to the mother and father symbolizing care, rest, and continuity.
- Knowing "the darkness of all light" means accepting both positive and negative aspects of life and self, embracing wholeness rather than fearing darkness.
- "The clan's cloak of reason" suggests a shared cultural or communal framework of understanding and logic that protects and guides the individual.
- The poem uses sensory details like the sound of speech, the touch of skin, and the sight of moonlight to create vivid experiences that deepen the reader’s connection to the poem’s themes.
This poem is a rich resource for students to explore language, spirituality, and self-awareness, encouraging both intellectual and emotional growth.
