I Do Not Know Its Name - Carrie Newcomer

He leaned in and whispered as he turned the page

And he said, «Make yourself into a flame»

A crazy old lion with his hair all backlit

Grinnin' like a little boy who has a secret

And I do not know its name

Though it’s ever entwining

And I believe it must look

Like an old man shining

We were eatin' summer peaches

By a roadside stand

Juice running down like laughter

On our chin and on our hands

When we were done, we looked around

And smiled at each other

And you said

«Come on, Carrie, let’s have another»

And I do not know its name

No matter how I try

But I believe that it must taste

Like peaches eaten by the roadside

He drove a rental car shuttle

To the airports on Sundays

We chatted that gray morning

'Bout the choir he sang with, Wednesdays

He sang a haunting gospel hymn

Shameless and clear

With only me, a wandering stranger

Sitting there to hear

And I do not know its name

Elusive and subtle

But I believe it must sound

Like that man singing in the shuttle

Standing in the river, barefoot in the current

I hear the sound of a bird call and I try to learn it The water is a wonder, it’s cold and fast and deep

I saw the fish go swimming out too far for me to reach

And I do not know its name

Swimmer or watcher

But I believe that there is always something

Moving beneath the water

If holy is a sphere

That cannot be rendered

There is no middle place

Because all of it is center

I do not know its name

I do not know its name

I do not know its name