The most ancient of the yoga texts are written in “sutras” which are short concise statements. These sutras have been passed down for thousands of years both orally and in writing. To me they are poetry. I recently came across a few lines by the modern poet W.H Auden (1907-1973) that felt like yoga in words, albeit with a certain melancholy tint…kind of like the feeling right beforethe first sun salutation on a sore morning:

“The stars are not wanted now: put out every one;

Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun;

Pour away the oceans and sweep up the wood.

For nothing now can ever come to any good.”

After a few sun salutations the bliss of life eclipses those sentiments, but still they have their time….