Tochni, Cyprus, May 23, 2005, Morning after First Night with D.

Published in the Journal, The Greek and Cypriot Notebook

*     *     *
The purpose of music
     is to approach divinity
          on its own terms

This morning I was sitting on my front porch, listening to the Sunday morning singing of the liturgy that was broadcast on speakers throughout the town. And as I was listening I heard a couple making love to my left. Her moaning did not seem disrespectful of the liturgy but an important counterpoint to it, the missing part, the part that was living and continued living. At times the liturgy seemed to be driving the lovemaking, like musicians playing to the dance. And then, for a moment, I heard the singing of the mass as rising from their lovemaking, as if the liturgy was the sound of God singing in the completeness of their lovemaking. And then I heard them as two facets of the same thing—not one underlining or driving the other, but the same song rising into the sky to meet the sunlight that was streaming onto my porch, heating the stones, shining in my eyes until I became nearly transparent.