Han-Shan often dreams of falling
Off cliffs and rooftops and into rivers,
Always quite conscious of never reaching
Bottom. Waking, he reasons that under
The world lies the earth, and under
The earth-far, far away, on the other side—
Is the world again. “One thing supports
Another seriatim,” he thinks. “If I fall
Out of the world, the earth will catch me.”
He caresses his bed. “So far, I’ve managed
To keep a good straw mattress between
Me and elsewhere.” Stepping into his
Reasonable shoes, he lines a basket with
Old scripts and goes to hunt the eggs.
On his way to the henyard, he stops
To stone the sparrows digging in the herb
Garden, smiling at the way the earth
Palms the pebbles. “If I gave them
Free access,” he wonders, “how long would
It take the pesky little souls
To reach the antipodes?”
Catch-All
Did you enjoy the the artible “Catch-All” from George Scarbrough on OZOFE.COM? Do you know anyone who could enjoy it as much as you do? If so, don't hesitate to share this post to them and your other beloved ones.
Leave a Reply