246. Only those flowers that can push through stone do we think of as flowers.
Those flowers crushed beneath the weight of stone, unable to emerge— we know nothing of them! And yet they too...were flowers!
247. Why the one who left left, I still don't understand.
Why the one who stayed stayed, I still don't understand.
248. There was not one reason to stay alive. Still, stubbornly defying God, I lived that day.
There was not one reason to be well. But because I lived, I am well today.
249. I am still alive because you smile.
I am still alive because you cursed me.
250. Have you seen light swim, my friend?
When darkness comes, the firefly swims— you see its light, not its sorrow.
Fearing it might lose itself, it glows in terror!
251. Newborns are the greatest poets!
Whatever comes to mind, only they speak it out!
If a poet's language is hard to understand, what fault is that of the poet!
252. Friend, are you trying to frighten me with storms?
I have seen that when storms come, the grass gets blown away and paths are born!
253. From wherever you get what you want, sometimes you'll also get things you don't want. Then you must accept them and stay quiet.
If you cannot accept them, say little and leave quickly.
254. I wrap myself in a blanket of words, so no one by mistake finds that silence where I live.
255. 'What is the difference between me and heaven?'
In answer, I told love that day, 'When you smile, I don't think of heaven anymore.'
256. When you're not beside me, I hold my breath. What would be the point of living a life without you!
257. They say life just passes by!
Does it really pass? Always? I don't think so!
Sometimes life doesn't pass, only days do.
258. Make yourself very light. Then life's blows will hurt less.
Breathe slowly, so even the air doesn't ache. Then you won't fear love's approach.
259. You're not here, so the life I left behind seems like a story!
You were there, so I was truly human then— now I barely am.
260. You walked out, shut the door, never thought once.
Then... you looked back; wanted to return.
By then it was too late. Life doesn't wait.
261. For now, this much would be enough for this life:
On some wind-swept evening we will meet. You will sit beside me, on the side where evening light slowly falls. Moon and river together will divide the whole earth in two: we will be in one part, everyone else in the other.
262. You gave me only two tasks. One. I cannot call you. Two. I cannot look at your photographs. With the tasks you gave me, I am well, keeping busy.
You could have given me one more task, but didn't. The task would be: I cannot think of you.
Why didn't you? Did you forget? Or don't you trust me that much, even now?
263. Don't call— she's busy. Send a poem instead.
Let it be something new— everyone calls! She who won't answer calls will catch poems!
264. What torment!
Every time I hear a knock, my heart races to open the door!
265. They think we are strange.
We think they are strange.
They and we, we and they— in just this much lies the whole world!
266. With one word from her all words died!
In that one death all life was born!
Bring death and life comes!
267. They say if you wash well everything goes away!
But look—for all these years hundreds of thousands of times I've washed these hands, yet I still catch your scent!
268. What is beautiful is also ugly!
To some eyes tears are beautiful, to others, laughter.
To my eyes, whatever I love is beautiful.
269. You keep asking for my birth date!
I'll tell you then— write it down.
I was born exactly on the day you loved me!
270. That day, in all the things you said, searching for you there I lost myself for this whole lifetime!
I didn't understand... you weren't on your lips, you were in your eyes.
271. O God! What shall I do with this small heart?
The one I have loved is vast as this world!
In exchange for this heart of mine, give me a heart as large as the world!
272. I want to kiss you—
anytime anywhere in any circumstance mindful, mindless in crowds, in solitude before the noise and after in full view, in secret in season, out of season
—until I have you.
273. To banish loneliness I took your hand.
I didn't know then that you were loneliness!
You were not there, I was there, loneliness was there.
You came, I am not here, loneliness remains.
I am not here. Now there is no one to banish loneliness.
274. The day before yesterday lips touched lips, time touched time.
Yesterday lips touched time, time touched lips.
Today tears gather on lips, tears extinguish time.
275. I thought even if I sin all my life, I'll never be punished!
What God understood, I don't know. But right then I fell in love!
276. Because you existed I existed too.
Since then you are, I am, we are.
If I remain, you will remain, even if we do not.
277. When love doesn't come, I mistake dried leaves for butterflies, step carefully around them.
When love arrives, I take butterflies for dried leaves, trample them underfoot.
Without finding we can keep! Once found keeping becomes the burden!
278. I wanted love, got marriage!
279. One day within a breath's distance I couldn't say anything!
Today beyond sight's horizon I talk constantly!
Love... only waits for things to be too late!
280. The moment I said, "I love you!" she looked straight at the bed!