Not Quite Only A Poem About Crystal

Poem About Crystal
by Robert Bringhurst

Look at it, stare
into the crystal because
it will tell you, not
the future, no, but
the quality of crystal,
clarity’s nature,
teach you the structure
of uncut, utterly
uncluttered light.

Not Quite Only A Poem About Crystal

Look at it. Stare.

It will not speak to you of anything.
Yet you will tell it into many things.

Augur:
A chance to turn unknown chance
Into anticipated outcome
Without the bleating sufferance of entrail.

Tool:
Made things for imagined purpose
As in the light through the lens;
Or a screen illuminated.

Symbol:
As in the instance of metaphor;
Light transformed or frozen–purified:
A wall against death.

Decoration:
Shaped play of shadow breaking up color:
The flowers in the vase transformed,
Vanquished.

Or, none of the above,
Not even light, or a container for light,
(No matter light’s play within it)
But itself as itself, without pretense;
An ex-sample, no less, no more;

Even its history an interpretation:
No after,
No before.