YOU WERE BORN FREE

You were born light and shadow, earth and sky,
freer than the stars, freer than the flower,
a spring from the mountaintops and a flowing stream.

You can feel hatred and love,
create storm and calm, war and peace,
embrace both delight and pain.

Evil and goodness assail you
along pathways lit by sun or darkest night,
leading toward error or toward truth.

Escape both applause and condemnation,
do not seek the opinions of others,
build your happiness upon your own conscience!

I built castles for you within my mind,
God created you lord of the universe,
yet today the order of things rules differently.

You will always be my most beautiful verse,
a flash of mystical harmony,
though you have both your light and shadow.

There was once a time of magical joy,
the blessed season of your childhood...
Your adult years opened the distance between us!

In your youth you were a devoted friend,
growing in grace and wisdom in this world
that a siren's song turned into an enemy.

I pray that the goodness dwelling fruitfully within you
may set you free, may grant you courage
to choose the place from which you truly belong,

and the joy of divine closeness.