You Name It

You Name It

If naming gives me power,
I pass that power to you,
For whom the name is more than any meaning in the thing
That, in our nouns, may run or hunt or grow or feed
(But who knows how it calls these to itself).

Words may seem beginnings ,
And a Word create a world-
Of dreams and love and countless images of peace...

And yet we know a name is just a name-
For goodness knows that roses smell, as Juliet said, the same
By any name that humans may desire.

For sure, the ones who would dispute the names
For what a thing should be
-A country bounded, claimed by several lands-
May, in their lack of care, create a war :
“Let’s use OUR language, change the native word”
(Create a new mistake to bring us wealth,
Make shabby all our hopes , with grasping wordless rule) ,

And so doing, twist the notion of sweet life,
For only hearts may plumb
That depth no names may net...

And so, my friend indeed, I give to you
That power ...
That power I thus renounce to take your hand.

I trust you use it only for delight-
Creation’s friend, when names enhance the light...