Kevin Kiely - Travelling with The I Ching

Travelling with The I Ching 

On the morning train
the clear glass of the window 

and there comes a line of water 
like a crack along the glass

the line see-saws from one side to the other 
everything is colder, intensifying the display 

the line creates patterns, hoops and troughs 
that suddenly fall out of sight―

the river and estuary below violent clouds 
threaten like a plague of insects 

while the reeds, lashed in rain
become peacocks
as if underwater 
rising, their wing-span 
with peering eyes 
on the feather-vane green curtains

it is the ideogram of radiance and clinging fire:
an abundance of something is coming your way 
use it wisely 
early mornings 
bring success
She becomes all of the landscape 

You drive with a river on your left 
through a valley and hills
to embrace another river on your right

high above what is happening 
as your speck of life
with fire-edged beauty 
burns through the senses

the foreground rolls into 
an existing immensity
magnifying insight where this high
is boundless in the clear knowledge 
that change itself does not abide

yet, change seems to preside over all
rules all, overcomes all
change is all between change 
after change, and ever-changing

within the weakness of wanting
certain things to remain unchanged
but that is impossible

the songs must be true 
because I love her to the point of madness 

I must accept that what I will
is not always in my grasp, not always
what can be controlled 

I can rise higher than the trees 
their arms and limbs in choral forests 
above the sea cliffs

the depths and deeps of oceans 
are floating continental islands
and every country 
swaying with the earth’s axis

and in rehearsal, I asked her: 
is a blue flower seen
from outer spaces, strings…?

and her reply: 
do you really need to ask