I Am Neither Beautiful Nor Ugly

I Am Neither Beautiful Nor Ugly

I'm neither beautiful nor ugly
     neither this nor that

I'm neither the peddler in the market
     nor the nightingale
     in the rose garden

Teacher give me a name so that I'll know
     what to call myself

I'm neither slave nor free neither candle
     nor iron

I've not fallen in love with anyone
     nor is anyone in love with me

Whether I'm sinful or good
     sin and goodness come from another
     not from me

Wherever He drags me I go
     with no say in the matter.

From East Window: Poems From Asia,

Translated  by W. S. Merwin