ALLEGORY Poem: Where is my home?, by George Prigov

Where is my home?
My home is in the mountains
Reaching ever deeper, every higher
Caressing the heavens with their wizened fingers and
Dipping their calloused toes in underground rivers
That rush fervently to aeons passed.

Where is my heart?
My heart is lost amongst the waves
Thrown overboard by the rolling of the sea
And across the oceans, freely it wanders
Finding a place to rest
On distant beaches and lagoons.

Where is my soul?
My soul cascades with the current
Ever flowing downstream, searching
And like Moshe’s cradle
It is tossed to and from, looking for its palace
In which to settle and exalt.

Where is my mind?
My mind wanders amongst the highest clouds
And tries to peer at the Earth
Revolving far below
To trace the movements of migrating birds, to fly with them
And the shift of wandering continents, to crawl with them.

Where is my place?
My place is sought for but never found
It eludes like dawn’s shadows
Retreating from the rising sun
And it rests for a moment behind a looming poplar
And is gone
Leaving a speck of gold as reminder
And encouragement.

Where is my love?
My love is like a raging wildfire
Contained within an earthenware vessel
Simple clay, raised to consciousness
And driven ever onwards, by Divine decree:
“To love the other, as you love yourself”
And then to dust return.