Poems of Experience/Nirvana

A drop of water risen from the ocean Forgot its cause, and spake with deep emotion Unto a passing breeze. ‘How desolate And all forlorn is my unhappy fate. I know not whence I came, or where I go. Scorched by the sun, or chilled by winds that blow, I dwell in space a little time, then pass Out into the night and nothingness - alas!’

‘Nay,’ quoth the breeze, ‘my friend, that cannot be. Thou dost reflect the Universe to me. Look at thine own true self, and there behold A world of light, all scintillant with gold.’ Just there the drop sank back into the wave From whence it came. Nay, that was not its grave!

It lived, it moved, it was a joyous part Of that strong palpitating ocean heart; Its little dream of loneliness was done; It woke to find, Self, and Cause, were one. So shalt thou wake, sad mortal, when thy course Has run its karmic round, and reached the Source, And even now thou dost reflect the whole Of God’s great glory in thy shining soul.