12-18-2018, 12:07 AM
edit1;
Of the Laws (A Missing Analect)
“Master,” asked his thoughtful student,
“why is Silver Ocean higher
at some places than at others?
Here it overtops a sea-wall,
but, a few li back, its churning
stopped six bu below. Can it be
that sea-level is not truly
just the same at every place?
“Has this world a slant, oh Master,
just as Ninefold Heaven angles
over all its lands and seas?”
“Fool!” his master said, but sagely,
“What makes you believe a wall men
built is level as an ocean?
Some who build, skimp, stopping lower
than they’re bidden, and yet others
build too high because they pocket
money for each stone they lay.
“If all men would do exactly
as the Son of Heaven orders
in his wisdom, Middle Kingdom
would not suffer flood or famine.”
But, so saying, Master winked.
Many thanks to honorable critics (yes, there is just a hint of Confusian parody there, of which Charlie Chan was prime example). I've tried to both leave the elements @billy and @betty242 enjoyed while tightening it up a bit per @Knot. Use of traditonal units, for example (bu = about 1m usually, li = about 1/3 km), though at the risk of falling into the "italicized" style of travel writing ("We marched with an impi of askaris carrying tontons, finally stopping by a boma as night began to fall"). I should probably not have mentioned pedantry in reply to @billy.
I am so glad no one (thus far) has interpreted the sea-wall, being a Wall, as something to do with contemporary politics!
Of the Laws (A Missing Analect)
“Master,” asked his thoughtful student,
“why is Silver Ocean higher
at some places than at others?
Here it overtops a sea-wall,
but, a few li back, its churning
stopped six bu below. Can it be
that sea-level is not truly
just the same at every place?
“Has this world a slant, oh Master,
just as Ninefold Heaven angles
over all its lands and seas?”
“Fool!” his master said, but sagely,
“What makes you believe a wall men
built is level as an ocean?
Some who build, skimp, stopping lower
than they’re bidden, and yet others
build too high because they pocket
money for each stone they lay.
“If all men would do exactly
as the Son of Heaven orders
in his wisdom, Middle Kingdom
would not suffer flood or famine.”
But, so saying, Master winked.
Many thanks to honorable critics (yes, there is just a hint of Confusian parody there, of which Charlie Chan was prime example). I've tried to both leave the elements @billy and @betty242 enjoyed while tightening it up a bit per @Knot. Use of traditonal units, for example (bu = about 1m usually, li = about 1/3 km), though at the risk of falling into the "italicized" style of travel writing ("We marched with an impi of askaris carrying tontons, finally stopping by a boma as night began to fall"). I should probably not have mentioned pedantry in reply to @billy.
I am so glad no one (thus far) has interpreted the sea-wall, being a Wall, as something to do with contemporary politics!
Non-practicing atheist