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I like these narratives you've been doing Frederick. They +work+ man, and that's what counts, not their theoretical correctness. Best Dave 2008/6/11 Frederick Pollack <[log in to unmask]>: > Ancient Scroll > > > A poet was staying in a far pavilion. > His friend, a philosopher, came to visit. > The philosopher left his mule, supplies, and servant > in a shack at the foot of the mountain. > The servant was afraid, for these mountains > were known to be haunted. But he > was loyal, and the master comforted him, > then began to climb the steps cut in the stone. > Wind battered him, but he gripped the wall > and kept his eyes on the peaks. And with > each step, the rock of the staircase > cried out in pain because the tread > of the philosopher was too firm, and the wind > shrieked because his posture was too erect. > But he said to the wind, Frail as I am > you shall not carry me off, and to the stone, > I cut these steps in you, or my servant did, > so I might visit a friend. And the wind > howled, for his thought was too cold, > and the rock because it was too solid, > and they asked, Are you not supposed > to be wise and realize you're one with us? > And the master said, I'm one with you > in death, but separate myself > with every step. He had reached by now > the windless ledge where the poet lived, > and the poet came out to greet him. > One wall of the pavilion was mountain rock. > So was the table where the poet wrote. > Ceremoniously, the friends drank. > Tipsy, they walked to the cliff-edge > and watched birds of prey > circle. The gods, perhaps, > mused the philosopher. Strange, said the poet, > I thought they were vultures. Laughing, > they agreed the moment had the makings > of a poem. Returning indoors, however, > the master saw that the poet's bowl > of ink was empty. He cried, > I could have brought you some > from the city! But the poet, smiling, > struck with the point of a stylus > that lump of mountain where he worked, > and ink flowed into his bowl. > -- David Bircumshaw Website and A Chide's Alphabet http://homepage.ntlworld.com/david.bircumshaw/ The Animal Subsides http://www.arrowheadpress.co.uk/books/animal.html Leicester Poetry Society: http://www.poetryleicester.co.uk