The Spider and the Sage
Jan. 18th, 2011 11:50 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
cedar_groveFrom The Book of Awakening:Having the Life You Want by Being Present to the Life You Have.
The next day the same thing happened. In the third day, the kind man was knee deep in the river, and, sure enough, there was the spider, legs frantic in the water. As the man went to lift the creature yet again, the spider said, "Why do you keep lifting me? Can't you see I will sting you every time, because that is what I do." And the kind man cupped his hands about the spider replying, "Because that is what I do."
Believe
She'd rather to be fooled than not believe,
That human nature be not cruel but kind.
Yet all of her experience could not leave
Her any other bitter truth to find.
That human nature be not cruel but kind,
Lost within her gently bleeding heart.
Her any other bitter truth to find
Left blind, before it had a chance to start
Lost within her gently bleeding heart
She walks the busy street, her eyes downturned
Left blind before she had a chance to start
And try to work out how, with all she's earned.
She walks the busy street, her eyes downturned,
The last few coins she owns clutched in her hand
And tries to work out how, with all she's earned
To pay the piper all that he demands.
The last few coins she own clutched in her hand
She looks to, as the voice cries out for aid
To pay the piper all that he demands.
'I haven't eaten anything today'
She looks to, as the voice cries out for aid.
The unwashed soul is screaming of neglect.
'I haven't eaten anything today'
And in compassion her own needs forgets
The unwashed soul is screaming of neglect.
She places three warmed coins within the hand
And in compassion her own needs forgets
And watches as the drifter slowly stands.
She places three warmed coins within the hand
She knows that they will buy no warmth or food
And watches as the drifter slowly stands;
Uncomprehending of the act of good.
She knows that they will buy no warmth or food
She cannot keep from giving to the needs
Uncomprehending of the act of good
Knows only of her heart that drives her deeds.
She cannot keep from giving to the needs
Each day the needful drifter asks her why
Knows only of her heart that drives her deeds
She says, "I'll be this way until I die."
Each day the needful drifter ask her why
Yet all of her experience could not leave
She says, "I'll be this way until I die."
She'd rather to be fooled than not believe.
I would rather be fooled than not believe.
The next day the same thing happened. In the third day, the kind man was knee deep in the river, and, sure enough, there was the spider, legs frantic in the water. As the man went to lift the creature yet again, the spider said, "Why do you keep lifting me? Can't you see I will sting you every time, because that is what I do." And the kind man cupped his hands about the spider replying, "Because that is what I do."
Believe
She'd rather to be fooled than not believe,
That human nature be not cruel but kind.
Yet all of her experience could not leave
Her any other bitter truth to find.
That human nature be not cruel but kind,
Lost within her gently bleeding heart.
Her any other bitter truth to find
Left blind, before it had a chance to start
Lost within her gently bleeding heart
She walks the busy street, her eyes downturned
Left blind before she had a chance to start
And try to work out how, with all she's earned.
She walks the busy street, her eyes downturned,
The last few coins she owns clutched in her hand
And tries to work out how, with all she's earned
To pay the piper all that he demands.
The last few coins she own clutched in her hand
She looks to, as the voice cries out for aid
To pay the piper all that he demands.
'I haven't eaten anything today'
She looks to, as the voice cries out for aid.
The unwashed soul is screaming of neglect.
'I haven't eaten anything today'
And in compassion her own needs forgets
The unwashed soul is screaming of neglect.
She places three warmed coins within the hand
And in compassion her own needs forgets
And watches as the drifter slowly stands.
She places three warmed coins within the hand
She knows that they will buy no warmth or food
And watches as the drifter slowly stands;
Uncomprehending of the act of good.
She knows that they will buy no warmth or food
She cannot keep from giving to the needs
Uncomprehending of the act of good
Knows only of her heart that drives her deeds.
She cannot keep from giving to the needs
Each day the needful drifter asks her why
Knows only of her heart that drives her deeds
She says, "I'll be this way until I die."
Each day the needful drifter ask her why
Yet all of her experience could not leave
She says, "I'll be this way until I die."
She'd rather to be fooled than not believe.
