Rilke, Badly Mangled, With A Line Stolen Outright From Stevie Smith

I live my life in shrinking orbits,

which move inward from the things of the world.

Perhaps I can never fully silence my heart,

but that will be my attempt.

I am shadow boxing with God, around and around

this small, dark room, and I have been plodding in circles

for a thousand years. And I still don’t know,

still don’t know if, still don’t know what I am.

I was much too far out all my life

and not waving but drowning.