"When you meet a master swordsman, show him your sword.
When you meet a man who is not a poet, do not show him your poem."
-- Línjì Yìxuán (臨濟義玄) [circa 9th century AD]
"When you meet a master swordsman, show him your sword.
When you meet a man who is not a poet, do not show him your poem."
-- Línjì Yìxuán (臨濟義玄) [circa 9th century AD]
When you meet a man who isn't dead
don't share with him your mordant thoughts
when you meet a man don't give him bread
if he's not given to baking lots
When you meet a man who's not a mouse
you might allow you're not a cat
when you meet a man forget your house
if he wears no architectural hat
When you meet a man who doesn't swim
why show him you can plumb the deeps?
when you meet a man disclose no whim
if he doesn't dig whimsical peeps
When you meet a man who's not a poet
if you've got a poem decline to show it
No comments:
Post a Comment