Reflection In A Window Poem by jan oskar hansen

Reflection in a Window

From my window I can see morning haze, amongst
olive trees, I also see the outline of grazing sheep.
Metallic birdsong disturbs peace, not from outside,
but from my Chinese wall clock, must be eight, it
isn’t reliable, wonder if birds really sing like that in
China? I have seen this morning scene many times,
always think of it as biblical; shows how influenced
I’m by Christianity. If I were a Moslem, what I see,
the haze, trees and sheep will be the same; I would,
perhaps, think of Allah and how glad I’m to have
an unshakable creed. I was a Lutheran and think back
on times when I believed in god with blasé certainty.
Shells fall, I’m glad to be free of religious chains and
monolithic beliefs.