Deeper now, my stillness much reach from
a space mined out in the last blight.
It lies densely collected inside
like a stone that has waited a long time to harden
annealed in the middle of gnarled fire
and shot with light.
Yet in that sealed silence
I feel the seried rings of your listening
stream around and around me
serenely exhaling
and it is you safely I wait for.
If a restless accidental sigh
should come from what more I need
do not veer to compassion: I will keep my stillness
longer than before.
But in things all time is equal.
I will perhaps therefore give you a stone
out of whose concentric purity
will shine luster of old suns
warmly disturbing the wideness between your breath
and my pulse