On the Cacophony of Being

This beauty
This pain
This anguish
This love

This cacophony of being
That is I
That is experience
That is action

Tension of light and dark
Tension of right and wrong
Never grey
Never muted

That mud of fear
That mud of anger
Gripping at my heart
Gripping at my mind

But I will not
Go under
But I will not
Lie down

Or die
In the silence
Of living
Without venture

Better the searing light
Better the sinking dark
Than ever the grey mud
Of relinquished faith

Instead
Wisdom’s taut caress
Instead
The risk of dreams

This harrowing kiss
Of existence