The Presentation of Mary in the Temple

In order to understand how she was back then,

You first have to call yourself to a place

Where columns are within you; where you can sense

The steps; where arches full of danger

Bridge the abyss of a space

that remained within you, because it was

built up from such pieces that you can

no longer remove from yourself: unless you tore yourself down.

Once you have reached that place, and everything is stone within you,

Wall, staircase, vista, vault, - then try

To pry open the large curtain before you

just a little, with both hands:

Then very exalted objects gleam

And overcome your breath and touch.

Up and down, palace stands upon palace,

Banisters stream more broadly out of banisters

And appear high up on such ledges

That you are overcome by vertigo when you see them.

A cloud from incense burners shrouds your space;

But that which is most distant aims

directly at you with its straight rays -,

And now that the glow from clear flaming chalices

Plays upon the slowly approaching robes:

How can you stand it?

But she came and lifted

Her eyes, to view all this.

(a child, a little girl among women.)

Then she climbed up calmly, full of self-confidence,

Towards the moving pampered pomp:

Showing already that everything that people are building

Was outweighed by the praise

in her heart. By the joy of

Devoting herself to the inner signs.

The parents thought they were lifting her up,

The threatening figure with the bejeweled breast

Seemingly received her: But she went through all of them,

As little as she was, and left every hand, walking

Towards her fate already formed, which was higher than the Hall

and heavier than the house.