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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