Geoff-Allen
Resident megalomaniac
Here is a little something I saved more than 20 years ago.
The site was called the Poetry Shack and is no longer active ....
The Madman
The Madman said to the wind: "They are confused, for they have divided it into body, mind and soul."
And the wind replied: "If two, moving in the night, shall stumble upon total ecstacy, they shall awaken from themselves and discover one sound, one feeling, and the indescribable joy of unseparated love. They will not perceive a body, a mind and a soul, but one love dancing into and out of time and form; happily blooming and fading into that unapproachable mystery."
The madman asked: "When will they awaken from sleep?"
And the wind replied: "What does it matter if they do or not? Though each dream does not know itself as the one dreamer, the one dreamer knows itself as each dream. It is all just a happening, a rising and a falling, like the waves of a great ocean. Once a single wave has arisen, it fears falling back. In its fear it invents infinite visions and dreams to comfort itself; tales of powers and forces it tells itself will make itself eternal. But when it falls back, it laughs, as the ocean, at its ignorance as a wave."
The madman was surprised at this. Smiling to himself, he departed, the flame burning brightly in his heart.
The Madman 2
He turned to the wind and said: "How long was I asleep? And why did not you call to me?"
And the wind replied: "I called to you from murmuring brooks and golden ponds. I called to you from raging storms and purple sunsets.I called to you from heights of passion in the heat of night."
"I called to you from behind the eyes of babes, and through the voice of sage and wizard."
"I called to you from white-capped hills across the way; from beauty standing as a single rose in fields of green; from voices of despair and grief from those who passed by you; from the travail and joy and art and sickness of humanity."
"I called to you but you could not hear, for you were busy calling ME."
And his eyes lit up at this saying. And his feet began to dance. And his mouth began to sing. And his eyes began to weep for this: The light turned fully on; the shadow gone into obscurity.
The Madman 4
He said to the wind: "Who am I?"
And the wind replied: "The one who is asking: Ask him to ask himself that question."
And he asked himself: "Who am I?" And he listened but no answer came.
The wind smiled and left him in that state. When he returned, he asked him: "Did you find an answer?"
And he turned and said: "There was no one to answer."
And the wind replied: "Then what has happened to the question?"
He said: "If there is no one to answer then I shall never know."
And the wind said: "Then what of he who asks?"
And he said: "If there was no one to answer, how could there be someone to ask? That seems fair, doesn't it?"
And they left, each laughing at this joke.
The Madman 5
The madman said: "They are destroying themselves. It is as if they approach a cliff with open eyes and take not even one step backwards. What will become of them?"
The wind replied: "Let not your heart dwell on the destiny of mankind. Call to them gently and lovingly from your joy. Sing your songs with happiness. The destiny of man is mans' to choose. Some will listen and awaken. Others will turn from you."
The madman said: "Even the noble lion does not destroy himeself. It is sad, this tragedy."
And the wind said: "Dwell not on the destiny of man. It is their dream - neither sad nor hopeful. Sing to them from within the bliss. Some will hear and some will not. It is but one dream amidst an infinity of others. If you see someone caught in a nightmare, shake him gently. If he does not awaken, move away without regret."
But he was not yet still. "Must it come to this?"
The wind said: "Stand in that stillness. Dwell in the quiet. For what is still casts forth the reflection of the one who looks upon it. Be like a quiet pool: Those who come to it may drink of its substance and replenish themselves. Those who are soiled may bathe in it and become clean. Those who are heavily burdened may relax in it and renew their strength. Do nothing ... BE!"
And he understood this saying and became silent - his heart at peace, his mind at rest, his soul at one again with the way of life.
Continues ...
The site was called the Poetry Shack and is no longer active ....
The Madman
The Madman said to the wind: "They are confused, for they have divided it into body, mind and soul."
And the wind replied: "If two, moving in the night, shall stumble upon total ecstacy, they shall awaken from themselves and discover one sound, one feeling, and the indescribable joy of unseparated love. They will not perceive a body, a mind and a soul, but one love dancing into and out of time and form; happily blooming and fading into that unapproachable mystery."
The madman asked: "When will they awaken from sleep?"
And the wind replied: "What does it matter if they do or not? Though each dream does not know itself as the one dreamer, the one dreamer knows itself as each dream. It is all just a happening, a rising and a falling, like the waves of a great ocean. Once a single wave has arisen, it fears falling back. In its fear it invents infinite visions and dreams to comfort itself; tales of powers and forces it tells itself will make itself eternal. But when it falls back, it laughs, as the ocean, at its ignorance as a wave."
The madman was surprised at this. Smiling to himself, he departed, the flame burning brightly in his heart.
The Madman 2
He turned to the wind and said: "How long was I asleep? And why did not you call to me?"
And the wind replied: "I called to you from murmuring brooks and golden ponds. I called to you from raging storms and purple sunsets.I called to you from heights of passion in the heat of night."
"I called to you from behind the eyes of babes, and through the voice of sage and wizard."
"I called to you from white-capped hills across the way; from beauty standing as a single rose in fields of green; from voices of despair and grief from those who passed by you; from the travail and joy and art and sickness of humanity."
"I called to you but you could not hear, for you were busy calling ME."
And his eyes lit up at this saying. And his feet began to dance. And his mouth began to sing. And his eyes began to weep for this: The light turned fully on; the shadow gone into obscurity.
The Madman 4
He said to the wind: "Who am I?"
And the wind replied: "The one who is asking: Ask him to ask himself that question."
And he asked himself: "Who am I?" And he listened but no answer came.
The wind smiled and left him in that state. When he returned, he asked him: "Did you find an answer?"
And he turned and said: "There was no one to answer."
And the wind replied: "Then what has happened to the question?"
He said: "If there is no one to answer then I shall never know."
And the wind said: "Then what of he who asks?"
And he said: "If there was no one to answer, how could there be someone to ask? That seems fair, doesn't it?"
And they left, each laughing at this joke.
The Madman 5
The madman said: "They are destroying themselves. It is as if they approach a cliff with open eyes and take not even one step backwards. What will become of them?"
The wind replied: "Let not your heart dwell on the destiny of mankind. Call to them gently and lovingly from your joy. Sing your songs with happiness. The destiny of man is mans' to choose. Some will listen and awaken. Others will turn from you."
The madman said: "Even the noble lion does not destroy himeself. It is sad, this tragedy."
And the wind said: "Dwell not on the destiny of man. It is their dream - neither sad nor hopeful. Sing to them from within the bliss. Some will hear and some will not. It is but one dream amidst an infinity of others. If you see someone caught in a nightmare, shake him gently. If he does not awaken, move away without regret."
But he was not yet still. "Must it come to this?"
The wind said: "Stand in that stillness. Dwell in the quiet. For what is still casts forth the reflection of the one who looks upon it. Be like a quiet pool: Those who come to it may drink of its substance and replenish themselves. Those who are soiled may bathe in it and become clean. Those who are heavily burdened may relax in it and renew their strength. Do nothing ... BE!"
And he understood this saying and became silent - his heart at peace, his mind at rest, his soul at one again with the way of life.
Continues ...