Kahlil Gibran - The Prophet -

And a Poet said: "speak to us of Beauty."

Where shall you seek beauty and how shall you find her
unless she herself be your way and your guide ?
And how shall you speak of her
except she be the weaver of your speech ?

..... ( and they all spoke of Beauty.. )

All these things have you said of Beauty.
Yet, in truth, you spoke not of her but of needs unsatisfied,
and Beauty is not a need but an ecstasy.
It is not a mouth thirsting  nor an empty hand stretched forth
but rather a heart inflamed and a soul enchanted.
It is not an image you would see nor the song you would hear,
But rather an image you see though you close your eyes 
and a song you hear though you shut your ears.

It is not the sap within the furrowed bark, 
nor a wing attached to a claw
but rather a garden for ever in bloom
and a flock of angels forever in flight

People of Orphalese, beauty is life when life unveils her holy face.
But you are the life and you are the veil.
Beauty is eternity gazing at itself in a mirror
But you are eternity
and you are the mirror.

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This part  of Kahlil Gibran's "Prophet" 

I quoted in one of my first slide shows about Algonquin Park.

Bertstravels