Singing in the Forest

Poetry is just the evidence of life. If your life is burning well, poetry is just the ash. - Leonard Cohen

In DU,Vol II, JG Bennett gives an example of a singer learning how to transform her talent (voice) into art, to the point at which she is able to take music itself as her teacher. He also spoke of ‘living in the medium’ in discussing the conditions for creative thinking. It is a matter of giving oneself over to the muse, which is a living presence, a higher intelligence. Perhaps we cannot know whether this intelligence is ‘good’ – perhaps any thought of ‘good’ or ‘bad’ is irrelevant”

In Talking with Angels there is a remarkable passage very early on in the book. Gitta Mallasz is struggling with what she calls the fog of insensitivity to the presence of the higher intelligence, an intelligence which seems to be speaking with them. She asks:

Gitta: May I know your name?

This question comes from a desire to be able to call my teacher at any time, and thus feel secure.

The name is still matter. Seek what is behind it!

The dark layers of fog torment me. My question is actually a desperate cry for help:

Gitta: I am in the dark…what should I do?

GO YOUR OWN WAY! ANY OTHER WAY IS STRAYING.

After a long silence:

Sing for me in the forest!

I cannot believe my ears: me…sing? Having hidden my feelings behind a thick coat of armour since childhood, this strikes me as absolutely absurd.

Gitta: I think I misheard…

Each word is now uttered with emphasis:

-SING – FOR – ME – IN – THE – FOREST !