Chelan Harkin: On This Path Into Honesty, Humility, and Every Ancient Unresolved War

Photo by Molly

On This Path Into Honesty, 

Humility, and Every Ancient 

Unresolved War

Don't go

on this embodied path

afterall.

Feel as little

as possible.

Stay hidden

and numb.

I understand now.

For on this path

into honesty,

humility,

into every ancient

unresolved war

made of the deepest

frailty

our bodies still hold,

You will be asked

to let go of everything.

It is the path

of the deepest renunciation

of every pride,

of every polished

weapon

separation so cleverly uses

to defend itself,

of every leveraged beauty,

of everything wielded

by hands that would other.

You become increasingly

naked,

poor

and empty

of anything

that would protect you

from God.

— Chelan Harkin

https://chelanharkin.com/selected-poems/