Night and the Madman
"I am like thee, O, Night, dark and naked; I walk on the flamingpath which is above my day-dreams, and whenever my foot touchesearth a giant oak tree comes forth."
"Nay, thou art not like me, O, Madman, for thou still lookestbackward to see how large a foot-print thou leavest on the sand."
"I am like thee, O, Night, silent and deep; and in the heart ofmy loneliness lies a Goddess in child-bed; and in him who is beingborn Heaven touches Hell."
"Nay, thou art not like me, O, Madman, for thou shudderest yetbefore pain, and the song of the abyss terrifies thee."
"I am like thee, O, Night, wild and terrible; for my ears are crowdedwith cries of conquered nations and sighs for forgotten lands."
"Nay, thou art not like me, O, Madman, for thou still takest thylittle-self for a comrade, and with thy monster-self thou canstnot be friend."
"I am like thee, O, Night, cruel and awful; for my bosom is litby burning ships at sea, and my lips are wet with blood of slainwarriors."
"Nay, thou art not like me, O, Madman; for the desire for asister-spirit is yet upon thee, and thou has not become alone untothyself."
"I am like thee, O, Night, joyous and glad; for he who dwells inmy shadow is now drunk with virgin wine, and she who follows me issinning mirthfully."
"Nay, thou art not like me, O, Madman, for thy soul is wrapped inthe veil of seven folds and thou holdest not thy heart in thinehand."
"I am like thee, O, Night, patient and passionate; for in my breasta thousand dead lovers are buried in shrouds of withered kisses."
"Yea, Madman, art thou like me? Art thou like me? And canst thouride the tempest as a steed, and grasp the lightning as a sword?"
"Like thee, O, Night, like thee, mighty and high, and my throne isbuilt upon heaps of fallen Gods; and before me too pass the daysto kiss the hem of my garment but never to gaze at my face."
"Art thou like me, child of my darkest heart? And dost thou thinkmy untamed thoughts and speak my vast language?"
"Yea, we are twin brothers, O, Night; for thou revealest space andI reveal my soul."
Words in this poem
- loneliness n.
- The condition of being lonely; solitude; seclusion.
- steed n.
- A horse, especially a spirited horse for state of war; -- used chiefly in poetry or stately prose. [OE. stede, AS. steda a stud-horse, war horse, fr. stod a stud of breeding steeds; akin to G. stute a mare, Icel. stedda, sto, a stud. *163. See Stud of horses.]
Definitions and etymologies from Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913.
About this text
Night and the Madman is in the public domain. This text is taken from The Madman: His Parables and Poems, Project Gutenberg ebook #5616; the transcription's header, footer and licence were removed and nothing else was changed. You may copy, print and reuse it freely.
Cite as: Kahlil Gibran, Night and the Madman, in The Madman: His Parables and Poems (1918), text of Project Gutenberg ebook #5616, Laurel, https://laurelpoetry.com/poem/gibran-madman/night-and-the-madman.html, id L27305.
About this section
Night and the Madman is prose, printed in 15 paragraphs. It is part of the edition and is kept for reading, but nothing here is measured: the line breaks are the printer's, so no metre, rhyme scheme or scansion is stated.
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