SAINT THERESA
SAINT THERESA
by Juan Gelman
and with many birds and their songs in the /
highest part of the mind or head / and rumblings
in it like the sea / or laments /
or winds or movements / suns
that clash / go out / then burn again / or powers
like thousands of animals that track
up the suburbs of the soul / suffering
terrible ordeals i mean / even so
the soul goes on whole in its quiet state /
or desire / or clear light untouched
by sorrow / scorn / misery /
suffering or ruin / so
what is this peace without vengeance / or memory
of a future heaven / or tenderness
coming down from your hands / spring water
where birds in the highest part of the mind
rally to drink / sing sweetly / or are silent
like light issuing from you / wing
flying softly above war and fatigue
like the flight of passion itself?
Beautiful, inventive, but elusive. The second stanza ends with “even so,” meaning despite what’s gone before–the first two stanzas. The third stanza says “the soul goes on whole in its quiet state,” “untouched,” that is, despite “sorrow / scorn / misery / suffering or ruin,” ending with another “so” followed by “what is this” in the fourth, meaning that a question is being posed that seems to contradict the “untouched” serenity of the third. But then it appears we’re given more serenity: “peace without vengeance,” etc., including a repetition of “birds in the highest part of the mind” from the first stanza, ending with “flying softly above war and fatigue like the flight of passion itself,” “passion” meaning saints’ suffering, I presume, transcending worldly care. It seems, by the turns of syntax, that the poet would be taking exception to spiritual serenity here, but apparently not. Clarification, anyone?