Jane's "Once,I"

Once, I

Once, I

By Jane Hirshfield b. 1953Jane Hirshfield

Once, I

was seven Spanish bullocks in a high meadow,

sleepy and nameless.

As-ifness strange to myself, but complete.

Light on the neck-nape

of time

as two wings of one starling,

or lovers so happy

neither needs think of the other.

-This is a revelation to me, a light of some sort, that there was no difference between all the bullocks.  They were all one.  They were an "I."  Just like there is no difference in two wings of a starling. Or two happy lovers who are so in love, that leave apart say anything to each other, they don't even have to think of the other, as "the other".  They are one.