GOD HIMSELF THE FATHER AND FASHIONER OF ALL THAT IS
OLDER THAN THE SUN OR THE SKY GREATER THAN TIME
AND ETERNITY AND ALL THE FLOW OF BEING. IS UNNAME-
ABLE BY ANY LAWGIVER, UNUTTERABLE BY ANY VOICE
NOT TO BE SEEN BY ANY EYE. BUT WE, BEING UNABLE
TO APPREHEND HIS ESSENCE, USE THE HELP OF SOUNDS
AND NAMES AND PICTURES, OF BEATEN GOLD AND
IVORY AND SILVER, OF PLANTS AND RIVERS MOUNTAIN
PEAKS AND TORRENTS, YEARNING FOR THE KNOWLEDGE
OF HIM AND IN OUR WEAKNESS NAMING ALL THAT IS
BEAUTIFUL IN THIS WORLD AFTER HIS NATURE- JUST AS HAPPENS
TO EARTHLY LOVERS TO THEM THE MOST BEAUTIFUL SIGHT WILL
BE THE ACTUAL LINEAMENTS OF THE BELOVED, BUT FOR REMEM-
BRANCE' SAKE THEY WILL BE HAPPY IN THE SIGHT OF A LYRE
A LITTLE SPEAR,A CHAIR, PERHAPS,OR A RUNNING GROUND.
OR ANYTHING IN THE WORLD THAT WAKENS THE MEMORY
OF THE BELOVED.WHY SHOULD I FURTHER EXAMINE
AND PASS JUDGEMENT ABOUT IMAGES? LET MEN
KNOW WHAT IS DIVINE, LET THEM KNOW: THAT IS
ALL. IF A GREEK IS STIRRED TO THE REMEMBRANCE
OF GOD BY THE ART OF PHEIDIAS, AN EGYPTIAN BY
PAYING WORSHIP TO ANIMALS, ANOTHER MAN BY A RIVER.
ANOTHER BY FIRE-I HAVE NO ANGER FOR THEIR DIVER-
GENCES; ONLY LET THEM KNOW. LET THEM LOVE
LET THEM REMEMBER
Bon Shahn
