Confucious and the Madman of Kieh Yu

When Confucius was visiting the state of Chu,

Along came Kieh Yu

The Madman of Chu

And sang outside the Master's door:

"Oh Phoenix, Phoenix,

Where's you virtue gone?

It cannot reach he future

Or bring the past again!

When the world makes sense

The wise have work to do.

They can only hide

When he World's askew.

Today if you can stay alive

Lucky are you:

Try to survive!

"Joy is feather light

But who can carry it?

Sorrow falls like a landslide

Who can parry it?

"Never, never

Teach virtue more.

You walk in danger,

Beware! Beware!

Even ferns can cut your feet -

When I walk crazy I walk right:

But am I a man to imitate?"

The tree on the mountain heights is its own enemy.

The grease that feeds the light devours itself.

The cinnamon tree is edible: so it is cut down!

The lacquer tree is profitable: they main it.

Everyone knows how useful it is to be useful.

No one seems to know how useful it is to be useless

-Thomas Merton

(as Eddie Lee calls him "squirtin' Merton" or as the Trappist Order at Gethsemani call him "Fr. Louis")