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The Adamantine Perfection of Desire
The Adamantine Perfection of Desire - Jane Hirshfield
The Adamantine Perfection of Desire
The Adamantine Perfection of Desire
Nothing more strong
than to be helpless before desire.
No reason,
the simplified heart whispers,
the argument over,
only This.
No longer choosing anything but assent.
Its bowl scraped clean to the bottom,
the skull-bone cup no longer horrifies,
but, rimmed-in-silver, shines.
A spotted dog follows a bitch in heat.
Gray geese fly past us, crying.
The living cannot help but love the world.
from Each Happiness Ringed by Lions (Bloodaxe, 2005), ? Jane Hirshfield 2005, used by permission of the author and Bloodaxe Books.