William Masonis Poet Free verse

Where the Temple Is

Not coldly proud, in Saint Paul's cathedral,
     Nor silently strong in the Great Mosque of Mecca
     Nor sorrow-filled at the Wailing Wall
     Nor winding with the vines through Angkor Wat
     Nor beneath the Shinto Gate of the Sun,
          Or purselipped in stone on Easter Isle
          Or heavy with years in Stonehenge Circle

- In none of these places is the True Temple found,
They are but the little prayer-rooms within it.

     - There: in the atoms born of stars that shaped us.
     - There: in the sound of the laughing child.
     - There: in the scent of the rose.
     - There: in the last exhalation.

We can never go to visit the One Great Temple,
Because we bring it with us to all the others.

It is smaller than the atoms.
It is bigger than the Universe.
Its doors are never closed.
We have never been outside of it.

Consult your mirror: it shows the truth of this.
And when the thunder speaks, it calls to you, saying:

     TAT     TVAM     ASI     -     THAT     ART     THOU

Divinity is boundless; all things partake of it.

          Nothing matters.

          Everything matters.

♡Like0

Share Poem

---

Post Comments

Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.

Please Login to post a comment

Andrew Fairchild March 2, 2019 at 4:19 PM OM TAT SAT OM. Saint Teresa of Avila spoke of the Interior Castle. As you say, THAT is where the Temple is. Thank You for this very special gift to us all!

Lisle Ryder March 2, 2019 at 2:48 PM Thank you for bringing us together to see the holy within and around.

Mahtab Bangalee February 25, 2019 at 5:13 AM excellently written-Divinity is boundless; all things partake of it./Nothing matters./ Everything matters.//// the heart is the shrine of body and soul is the destined temple of the heart