Reincarnation
I like this poem. It doesn’t really have anything to do with the play except that it deals with reincarnation and that reminds me of it. I was talking with Janis and Elizabeth about it and they told me to post it. So, here it is:
In India in their lives, they happen
Again and again, being people or
Animals. And if you live well
Your next time could be even better.
That’s why they often look into your eyes
And you know some far off story
With them and you in it and some
Animal waiting over at the side.
Who would want to happen just once?
It’s too abrupt that way, and
When you’re wrong, it’s too late
To go back—you’ve done it forever.
And you can’t have that soft look when you pass
The way they do it in India.
William Stafford
“India”from “Ways To Live”
In India in their lives, they happen
Again and again, being people or
Animals. And if you live well
Your next time could be even better.
That’s why they often look into your eyes
And you know some far off story
With them and you in it and some
Animal waiting over at the side.
Who would want to happen just once?
It’s too abrupt that way, and
When you’re wrong, it’s too late
To go back—you’ve done it forever.
And you can’t have that soft look when you pass
The way they do it in India.
William Stafford
“India”from “Ways To Live”
posted by Dani at 1:47 PM
3 Comments:
Something about that poem is very sweet and innocent, but also pretty reprimanding. Almost like it's saying you aren't allowed to think of your life as anything but one stage in your long cycle of change.
Lucky enough for me I don't need telling twice. It may not be very Christian of me, but the way I see it, how can we NOT reincarnate?
I can't wait to go back to HSR...
I'll tell ya how we can NOT reincarnate.... Just don't do it...
Reincarnation is the only afterlife belief that agrees with the physics law of conservation of energy (energy can neither be created nor destroyed). That is, if you believe in a soul, which has to be energy in some way, it seems. Not that I believe in reincarnation, but oh well.
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