There is a paradox
In the heart of the world
There are two beasts
That contend for dominion
One is ferocious and bloody
And knows no pity
Only vengeance
The other is magical
Of infinite color
And a look that heals
The terrible paradox is
That they both need each other
The one to live
The other to live again
One must feed
The other must give
One must bleed
The other must fight
One must scream
The other must yell “Stop!”
One is soft like a young mother’s smile
The other hard like an eagle’s claw
One will kill
The other seal
One will torture
The other feel
One will conquer
The other plead
One will seize
The other free
One will slaughter
The other bind
One must love
The other hate
These two beasts:
The lamb and the lion
Must find a way
To cohabitate
In the human heart
Becoming not too weak
And not too strong
These two so utterly different
Have brought forth History
And the special human art
Of both living terribly
And magnificently
I lay my hands upon
This Human Heart
And say a prayer
For the Irreconcilable Nature
Of these its two warring parts:
O Lamb may you be strong
When kindness is not enough
O Lion may you be meek
For you may be wrong
In the retribution that you seek
May you both find the justice
That is mete
And make men not beasts
But wise
May you both find the peace
To end your eternal strife
Let this dread heart finally beat
In freedom and in love
Dan Corjescu teaches at the University of Tübingen’s “Studium Professionale” Program
