Galway Kinnell

Middle of the Way
The coals go out,
The last smoke weaves up
Losing itself in the stars.
Tonight i will lie
In the uncreating dark.

In my heart
There sleeps a green worm
That has spun my heart about itself,
And that shall dream itself black wings
One day to break free into the beautiful black sky.

I leave my eyes open,
I lie here and forget about my life,
All I see is that i float out
Into the emptiness, among the great stars,
On this little vessel without lights.

I know that I love the day,
The sun on the mountain, the Pacific
Shiny and accomplishing itself in breakers,
But I know I only live half alive in this world,
Half my life belongs to the wild darkness.