Memoirs From a Burn 2019.08.26 (Arrival)
Metamorphosis
Four men got in a discussion.
Each one said:
“Who knows how
To have the Void for his head
To have Life as his backbone
And Death for his tail?
He shall be my friend?”
At this they all looked at one another
Saw they agreed
Burst out laughing
And became friends
Then one of them became ill
And another went to see him.
“Great is the Maker,” said the sick one,
“Who has made me as I am!”
“I am so doubled up
My guts are over my head;
Upon my navel
I rest my cheek;
My shoulders stand out
Beyond my neck;
My crown is an ulcer
Surveying the sky;
My body is chaos
But my mind is in order.”
He dragged himself to the well,
Saw his reflection, and declared,
“What a mess
He has made of me!”
His friend asked:
“Are you discouraged?”
“Not at all! Why should I be?
If he takes me apart
And makes a rooster
Of my left shoulder
I shall announce the dawn.
If he makes me a crossbow
Of my right shoulder
I shall procure roast duck.
If my buttocks turn into wheels
And if my spirit is a horse
I will hitch myself up and ride around
In my own wagon!
“There is a time for putting together
And another time for taking apart.
He who understands
This course of events
Takes each new state
In its proper time
With neither sorrow nor joy.
The ancients said: ‘the hanged man
Cannot cut himself down.’
But in due time Nature is stronger
Than all his ropes and bonds
It is always so.
Where is there a reason
To be discouraged?”
-Chuang Tzu (translation: Thomas Merton)
#themanburnsinsixdays #burningman2019 #metamorphosis
Cover Art/Ticket Art: Shawn Cook
All others in this series can be found in order of date on the “speculation” blog page. Organized by date, the next one contains explicit content, and can be found at 2019.08.27