Whitman Sang

A charge bolted
at life.
From where he ran,
a footpath led straight
to nirvana.

Earth shoved up a mountain before the charge
that the charge might know Earth.

From the mountain's peak,
the charge peered
down the rocky descent
to nirvana.

Earth opened an ocean before the charge
that the charge might know Earth.

From a breaker's crest,
the charge gazed
along the curved foam
to nirvana.

Earth grew up a forest before the charge
that the charge might know Earth.

From the crown of a ferntree
canopy, a pau-pau spake,
and the charge meditated:
nirvana is now.