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08. The Eater of Dust

He will not spend the coin of his days on sleep and food

who knows the secrets of the Turquoise Wheel

- only the fool who s crushed beneath the disgrace of ignorance

will trust himself to the gourmandise of a drunken dragon.

Seduced by sweet repose and tasty victuals

you cannot feel the world gnawing away at your side;

eater of Dust, know in the end dust shall devour you.

The fruit of earth is mixed (by Nature s powers)

with salt, with fat or sugar to your taste -

without those herbs and spices do you think

the taste of dirt would please you half so well?

The earth is poison. Your enemy lurks in your stomach

and is fed up with your soul, no matter what

you feed him on - but if you neglect to pour

his ration of dirt down his throat, then how

he will howl and complain down there in your gut.

What magic furnace lies hid within a grain of wheat

that lets it alchemise dung and dirt into itself?

How does that headless toothless intestineless grain

devour dust, moistened by Spring rain?

He who does not marvel at such craftsmanship

must ne counted blind by those with wisdom.

Inside the grain the portions of the seed

have each their separate work and avocation

to carry on their labours for mankind -

but the sage, when he sees in each bit of corn

a creator, will not take it for his god,

and tiring of his scientific search among

these hidden artisans of Nature, will not raise

his sight in vain to higher things than intellect.

Let him sow seeds of gratitude in his eyes

who is lucky enough to receive from his Lord

such blessings as these, for if he should pay

for happiness with hurt, must he not be

hurt in return? The sage who s done a favour

will return it, for nothing flows from a jug

of vinegar but vinegar. Think and imagine

meditate and write of nothing but Good;

seek counsel from the wise, for they will pour

for you a beverage much to your liking,

pressing the heart s cluster with the hand

of the intellect. Are you sorrowful my brother

and find that religion brings you only grief?

Then read the poems of the PROOF, for they will scour

and polish this sorrow from your soul. But you

who are slain by ignorance, must come to him

if you desire the resurrection he provides

for your ignorance, he dare not come to you!


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