Open

The Ancient Modern

Open  /  Joshua Alan Sturgill

When will I take up the Book of Today
            Book of the darkness
            Book of the light

What will I read of the afternoon
What will I know of the night?

Open, O Book of the Sun and the Moon
Open, O rivers and trees

A soul is a pen and a parchment, and so
a man records all that he reads.

Tell me, O rivers, the stones of the Story
            mirrors of myths
            seasons of sounds

Read me the rhythms of flowers and heroes
that I may write them down.

When will I enter the Book of Today
            Book of what could be
            Book of what seems?

Open, O Book of the beauty of longing
— the language in which I dream

A soul is a pen and a parchment, and so
a man becomes all that he reads

All poetry and supplementary material: copyright 2021 by Joshua Alan Sturgill. All rights reserved.