with the most patient
and judgeless of eyes
study your reflection
and look for what
the mirror does not,
can not, will not show
on first glance of naked eye
that identity masked there
behind your rapt visage
where light does not,
can not, will not reach
study hard and long eager pupil
cross that broken line between
being human and being humane
and commit to memory
–of both heart & mind - letter & spirit–
what you find there
abandon pointless foolish haste
and take all the time you need
to hear its voice, learn its name
and become fluent in its gordian tongue
which you must not,
can not, will not speak of
to another soul
one and only one
and its yours and yours alone
only you can answer its call
so listen silent to this relative stranger
you sheltered unknowingly all these years
and whose shadow you are
allow it to acquaint you with a deeper self
neither its slave nor master
be, instead, its most gifted student
who’ll teach its music to the world
and blame the world not
when it does not, can not,
will not sing along