POETRY
Signs Of Living
Verses of wisdom
All the villagers gathered around the Zen Master as he was on the threshold of another elusive endeavour. He was on his deathbed. The sobbing villagers were worried that they wouldn’t have anyone to guide them in the future.
The wise master nodded understandingly. He declared, “Worry not,
Oh, pious people! I shall leave my spirit with you through my parting words.”
And thus spake the Zen Master,
When at life’s trough,
When you think enough is enough.
When it’s the dusk of your fountain of youth,
When you are withering from foot to tooth.
When Time comes to collect it’s due,
And there’s nobody to turn to.
When all our achievements in the world mean nought,
Then, take to the lessons that life has taught:
Nothing in the world is permanent.
All things leave us either on purpose or by accident.
We never really own anything.
We first inherit them and then bequeath them.
Money is not more important than the things it can or cannot buy.
We never understand this no matter how hard we try.
Simplicity and contentment are the best riches.
Pity them, whom money bewitches.
Children are desperate to graduate into adulthood,
While adults terribly miss their childhood.
Satiate your child’s propensity for naughtiness as much as you can,
Because responsibility is often a side-effect of growth.
The old and infants may be excused for frivolity,
But not presidents and the nobility.
Slander is nothing but fodder for fools,
Which the jealous use as manipulative tools.
The weak may not be mocked for their frailty,
And the ignorant, for their naïveté.
Nothing is constant;
Every sunrise turns into a sunset,
Every bloom turns into gloom,
A smile turns into a cry,
A Poem loses its beauty or rhyme.
Many a foolish man mistakes prudence for fear.
There is a time for being careful, and one for being carefree.
Work, and be patient about the results.
But, never premise your worth upon results,
For all efforts may not result in a result,
But effort should lead to wiser effort.
Whether you do or do not,
Say or say not,
You will be questioned by others.
Treat Criticism like fruit.
Absorb the useful part,
And discard the waste.
Be not a slave to tradition.
Practice self reasoning before action.
An excess of worry never yet saved a life or did them any good.
Patience is an underrated quality that’s most valuable.
The world would be much happier a place,
If we reminded each other of our smiles rather than our tears.
He that stands with you
In joy and sorrow,
Today and tomorrow,
To him you owe your allegiance.
Anyone can give you advice, Few understand your problem.
Only Those are your friends.
Hope, don’t expect.
Ask, don’t beg.
A wise man is rarely surprised.
He learns and adapts fast.
Live in the moment by all means, but keep an eye on the future.
And the past is only useful if it has something to teach you.
The old shall not impose upon the young,
Nor shall the young mock the old,
For it is Time that has the last laugh.
This is my parting wisdom to you.
And with this, the master smiled his last.
Thanks for dropping by. This was inspired by the masterpiece The Prophet written by Khalil Gibran.
“Spake”- The archaic spelling of spoke.
