Time | Song Two | Cat Stevens

Yusuf Islam,
who used to be Cat Stevens,
says that he had long been drowning
on the night when he swam into a wild ocean
and was pulled down by the undertow
and was sure would not come out again
and begged for divine rescue
and vowed to submit to a new life as a devout Muslim if he was saved.



Cat Stevens,
who became Yusuf Islam,
had been drowning in a life without purpose, he says,
pulled under by waves of fear and distraction from his true self,
the true believer he was meant to be:
the ocean simply proved it.

When he awoke on the shore,
still breathing
lungs burning
heart racing
eyes wide open
he knew that he had been reborn,
given a second chance to take shape in place and time.

Time—
before the spiral of song
before the songs of ascent
before the ceremonies
and conjuring of calendars and choices
rituals and pleading
initiations and invitations and introductions—
is wild, white ocean.

Song of Ascent II

Time | Cat Stevens

All of the Songs of Ascent

One | Into the Mystic | Van Morrison