The Eye On The Summit

THE EYE ON THE SUMMIT

BY

BARRY VAN-ASTEN

 

The brain distracted by sleepless sight,

And the body beaten day and night;

Blown about like seeds in flight:

Damn the darkness, pray for light!

Tear down the temple and torch the tomb -

Eyes that spy within the gloom...

O Saint, O Saviour, this storm of love,

Aches with pain - I follow Thee!

Master, whether Thou knewest me,

My life, my love, is one long spree,

To taste, and touch, and follow Thee

Through barren desert and holy sea!

Upon my boat, a prayer, a word

Lingers dull in strength, though heard,

And demon pangs upon my helm:

Accursed, I follow Thee!

In the battle of the blackest will

Are endless dark gods of infernal

Incantations - the Mage is still,

Ravished by the midnight madrigal.

And in the words, the heart resounds

To damnation's desire, it pounds -

Destroy false gods and ceaseless, hunt

To an end - I follow Thee!

Fill the heart of the savage, pray,

Prostrate thyself let no-self stay,

And at the dread hour, turn away -

Strike hard at midnight, force and slay

The earth-born, and destroy the soul,

And from the void, depart, no whole;

Form an image in thy mind,

And in that image - follow Me!

Spectral lights about me, glow,

As if to point which way to go;

And starlight's uninterrupted flow

Lies like white flowers in the snow!

Lift thy gaze and kiss my lips,

Where the blood of the Saviour drips -

My Master, cloaked in mystery -

Dark this love! - I follow Thee!

Stop a while and stay with me;

Forget all thoughts of the soul's journey,

Look to yourself - from thine infancy,

The Light has long been there with thee!

Higher, towards that golden veil,

With steadfast steps upon the trail,

And see the wise man and the fool

As guardians of eternity!

Duty, for duty's sake - error of way:

Count my tongue and the words I will not say!

With the heart and head eclipsed, time now to pray

And blessings be poured forth on thee this day!

And as known, thy mortal self has died,

Forever now a part of the eye within the void!

Divine, eternal, a star cast in the night;

A flame within the chamber of the heart that's burning bright!

Yet, beyond this, yea, still lies your goal:

Sink into black thought, let consciousness roll

Over the embers of your uplifted soul,

Like a sea of 'no space' on the shore of 'no whole'!

And in this, doubt is conquered and rid

To that vast self, the eye in the pyramid -

Naked, you stand, the battle's near won -

Your sweet soul swiftly to Babalon!

Poor Pharaoh, blinded, his sight hath fled

And the Rose dripped blood on reaching God-head;

Even the Chiefs and the Saints have bled,

Staining the Cup, deep ruby-red!

No-self and not-being, gave all to become it -

O wonder of wonders - the eye on the summit!

Nothingness governed by nothingness - see,

There is no Law but Love, within me!