Old Books

A precious - mouldering pleasure - 'tis -
To meet an Antique Book -
It's just the dress his century wore -
A privilege -  I think -

His venerable Hand to take -
And warming in our own -
A passage back - or two - to make -
To Times when he - was young -

His quaint opinions - to inspect -
His thought to ascertain
On Themes concern our mutual mind
The Literature of Man -

What interested Scholars - most -
What Competitions ran -
When Plato - was a Certainty -
And Sophocles - a Man -

When Sappho - was a living Girl -
And Beatrice wore
The Gown that Dante - deified -
Facts centuries before

He traverses - familiar -
As One should come to Town -
And tell you all your Dreams - were true -
He lived - when Dreams were born -

His presence is enchantment -
You beg him not to go -
Old Volumes shake their Vellum Heads
And tantalize - just so -


Emily Dickinson
The Poems of Emily Dickinson (Franklin), 565

A Life's Work

"...I have not considered myself unworthy to make Alexander's exploits known to mankind.  That much I have discerned about myself, whoever I may be.  I need not set down my name, for it is not unknown to men, nor is my country, nor my family nor the offices, if any there were, I have held in my own land.  But this I do put on record: that these chronicles are my country and my family and my offices, and have been from my youth."

Arrian
Anabasis

Inner Resources

Reverse cannot befall
That fine Prosperity
Whose Sources are interior -
As soon - Adversity

A Diamond - overtake
In far - Bolivian Ground -
Misfortune hath no implement
Could mar it - if it found.


Emily Dickinson
The Poems of Emily Dickinson (Franklin), 565

Spiritual Mountains

"The allegory of the physical mountain for the spiritual one that stands between each soul and its goal is an easy and natural one to make.  Like those in the valley behind us, most people stand in sight of the spiritual mountains all their lives and never enter them, being content to listen to others who have been there and thus avoid the hardships."

Robert M. Pirsig
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

Trust in the Unexpected

Trust in the Unexpected -
By this - was William Kidd
Persuaded of the Buried Gold -
As One had testified -

Through this - the old Philosopher -
His talismanic stone
Discerned - still witholden
to effort undivine -

'Twas this - allured Columbus -
When Genoa - withdrew
Before an Apparition
Baptized America -

The Same - afflicted Thomas -
When Deity assured
'Twas better - the perceiving not -
Provided it believed -


Emily Dickinson
The Poems of Emily Dickinson (Franklin), 563

Craftsmanship and Peace of Mind

"...the art of the work is just as dependent upon your own mind and spirit as it is upon the material of the machine.  That's why you need the peace of mind."
     "Actually, this idea isn't so strange," I continue.  "Sometime look at a novice workman or a bad workman and compare his expression with that of a craftsman whose work you know is excellent and you'll see the difference.  The craftsman isn't ever following a single line of instruction.  He's making decisions as he goes along.  For that reason he'll be absorbed and attentive to what he's doing even though he doesn't deliberately contrive this.  His motions and the machine are in a kind of harmony.  He isn't following any set of written instructions because the nature of the material at hand determines his thoughts and motions, which simultaneously change the nature of the material at hand.  The material and his thoughts are changing together in a progression of changes until his mind's at rest at the same time the material's right."
     "Sounds like art," the instructor says.
     "Well, it is art," I say.  "This divorce of art from technology is completely unnatural."


Robert M. Pirsig
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

Why dramatic spiritual experiences are rare...

Did Our Best Moment last -
'Twould supersede the Heaven -
A few - and they by Risk - procure -
So this Sort - are not given -

Except as stimulants -
Cases of Despair -
Or Stupor - The Reserve -
These Heavenly moments are -

A Grant of the Divine -
That certain as it Comes -
Withdraws - and leaves the dazzled Soul -
In her unfurnished Rooms -



Emily Dickinson
The Poems of Emily Dickinson (Franklin), 560