Nothing Stays by Mark van Doren

Nothing Stays by Mark van Doren

Nothing stays
not even change,
That can grow tired
of it's own name;
The very thought
too much for it.

Somewhere in air
a stillness is,
So far, so thin-
But let it alone.
Whoever we are
it is not for us 

 This poem called to my ever-present fascination with the mortal, transitory nature of existence that the human condition ails us with.  Morose curiosity was not the only thing that drew me to one of Mark van Doren's most renowned works, however.  The structure of the poem seemed abrasive, as if it went against the grain of my mind.  It has a unique rhythm that I have never come across, a certain tempo to it that made me read it more slowly, more carefully.  The emptying world suggested by the first six lines brings to mind images of a black hole, consuming all into one space, bending and capturing even light in its race across the universe.  Ancient and unyielding, the laws of nature force all to succumb to the fragility of being.  There exists a place of repose, a sanctuary from all-consuming time, suggests the last half of the poem.  However, this place is a mirage, an El Dorado for man, who can grasp it as well as one can hold the wind in their hands.  A beautiful piece of art, this poem is one of my new found favorites, catalyzing my mind to philosophical wanderings and day dreams of eternity.