Most of us do not know when, or if, the veil of ignorance that envelops all humanity will be lifted from our eyes that we might might have a glimpse of love revealed.
We do not know, and we may never know when the private world of Yeh Nai-Tsi led her to the composition of her elequent song of love. It is clearly her own even as it reminds us of Song of the apostle Paul.
We do know that he was enlightened on the road to Damascus and was able to express that enlightenment in his epistle to Corinth. We need not call attention ot hte obvious parallels between these songs. Indeed we place this song upon our hypertext tree on the branch of the tanka that we may see its universality.
THOUGH I SPEAK WITH
TONGUES,
tongues of men and angels;
if I have not love,
I am as a sounding brass
or teeny tinkling cymbal.
THOUGH I AM GIFTED
mystic, prophet, genius,
man of stoic
faith,
remover of the mountains,
without love - I am
nothing.
LOVE SUFFERETH LONG
envieth not, vaunteth
not,
thinketh no evil.
Bears all things, believes all
things,
hopes all things, endures all things.
LOVE NEVER
FAILETH
prophecies fail, tongues shall cease,
knowledge
fade away.
For we prophecy in part
waiting for the perfect
day.
ONCE I WAS A CHILD
spoke and thought and
understood
as a little child,
but, when I became a man
childish things were put away.
NOW WE FAINTLY SEE
through a glass - dimly, darkly,
but then - face to face.
Now I know in part, knowing
I shall know as I am known.
NOW ABIDETH THREE
just three, faith and hope and love.
Above all is love.