Kyrie: Tomas Tranströmer

At times my life suddenly opens its eyes in the dark.
A feeling of masses of people pushing blindly
through the streets, excitedly, toward some miracle,
while I remain here and no one sees me.

It is like the child who falls asleep in terror
listening to the heavy thumps of his heart.
For a long, long time till morning puts his light in the locks
and the doors of darkness open

First, I had to look up Kyrie. I knew it had something to do with prayer.

I had to think about this one for awhile. There's a feeling at first of being left behind, of being the one who isn't 'in' on the situation. An outsider.

And then second, the feeling of hanging on, just hanging on 'till morning. Being afraid of the dark (my whole life! To this day!), this is a feeling I definitely identify with. Falling asleep in terror. I know that feeling well.

But when you pair it with the title (I love poems that change in meaning when you put the title into the equation), I think about it slightly differently. I especially love the first line, "At times my life opens its eyes in the dark," -- and then realizes... what? What is it about opening your eyes and realizing there is movement, something Big happening, and you have no idea.

Is it about God? Prayer? Being on the outside, waiting to get brought into the throng?

"...until the doors of darkness open." That is what waiting for God to hear you can feel like, at least for me. Waiting in the dark. My eyes opened to the dark. Waiting for the light.

I am loving this poem more and more. It feels as though a little piece of me could have written this, and I'm just now discovering what that part of me wants to say.