“full of hope i climbed the day” -St. John of the Cross
full of hope i climbed the day
while hunting the game of love
and soared so high, high above
that at last i caught my prey.
in order to seize the game
-the Divine love in the sky-
i had to fly so high, high
i floated unseen and became
lost in that dangerous day;
and so my flight fell short of
height-yet so high was my love
that at last i caught my prey.
dazzled and stunned by light
as i rose nearer the sun
my greatest conquest was won
in the very black of night.
yet since love opened my way
i leaped dark, blindly above
and was so high, near my love,
that at last i caught my prey.
in this most exalted quest
the higher i began to soar
the lower i felt
broken and depressed.
i said: none can seize the prey!
and groveled so low, so low
that high, higher did i go,
and at last i caught my prey.
by strange reckoning i saw
a thousand flights in one flight;
for hope of heavenly light
is achieved by hoping now.
i hoped only for this way
and was right to wait for love
and climbed so high, high above
that at last i caught my prey.