No More Learning

Thumb extended, finger uplifted, apron, cape, gloves, strap, wet-weather
clothes, whip carefully chosen, boss, spotter, starter, hostler,
somebody loafing on you, you loafing on somebody, headway, man
before and man behind, good day's work, bad day's work, pet stock,
mean stock, first out, last out, turning-in at night;
To think that these are so much and so nigh to other drivers--and he there
takes no interest in them!


5.

The markets, the government, the working-man's wages--to think what account
they are through our nights and days!
To think that other working-men will make just as great account of them--
yet we make little or no account!

The vulgar and the refined--what you call sin, and what you call goodness--
to think how wide a difference!
To think the difference will still continue to others, yet we lie beyond
the difference.

To think how much pleasure there is!
Have you pleasure from looking at the sky? have you pleasure from poems?
Do you enjoy yourself in the city? or engaged in business? or planning a
nomination and election? or with your wife and family?
Or with your mother and sisters? or in womanly housework?
or the beautiful
maternal cares?
These also flow onward to others--you and I fly onward,
But in due time you and I shall take less interest in them.

Your farm, profits, crops,--to think how engrossed you are!
To think there will still be farms, profits, crops--yet for you, of what
avail?


6.

What will be will be well--for what is is well;
To take interest is well, and not to take interest shall be well.

The sky continues beautiful,
The pleasure of men with women shall never be sated, nor the pleasure of
women with men, nor the pleasure from poems;
The domestic joys, the daily housework or business, the building of
houses--these are not phantasms--they have weight, form, location;
Farms, profits, crops, markets, wages, government, are none of them
phantasms;
The difference between sin and goodness is no delusion,
The earth is not an echo--man and his life, and all the things of his life,
are well-considered.

You are not thrown to the winds--you gather certainly and safely around
yourself;
Yourself! Yourself! Yourself, for ever and ever!


7.

It is not to diffuse you that you were born of your mother and father--it
is to identify you;
It is not that you should be undecided, but that you should
be decided;
Something long preparing and formless is arrived and formed in you,
You are henceforth secure, whatever comes or goes.

The threads that were spun are gathered, the weft crosses the warp, the
pattern is systematic.

The preparations have every one been justified,
The orchestra have sufficiently tuned their instruments--the baton has
given the signal.

The guest that was coming--he waited long, for reasons--he is now housed;
He is one of those who are beautiful and happy--he is one of those that to
look upon and be with is enough.

The law of the past cannot be eluded,
The law of the present and future cannot be eluded,
The law of the living cannot be eluded--it is eternal;
The law of promotion and transformation cannot be eluded,
The law of heroes and good-doers cannot be eluded,
The law of drunkards, informers, mean persons--not one iota thereof can be
eluded.