Short Poems

No truer word, save God's, was ever spoken,
Than that the largest heart is soonest broken.

The north wind blows, cracking the earth,
in sadness, seeing off the old year.
The servant announces we're out of rice,
and a creditor has come, asking for money.
A hungry crow caws in evening snow;
a wild goose cuts through cold mist.
This is the way my life is now:
others are even worse off.

Not a Christian, not a Buddhist, not a Confucian either,
in a blind lane peddling my writings, I managed to amuse myself
What fragrance did I gather, passing through the gardens of art?
How many greens have I wandered, there on poetry fields?
In the ashes of the burned book the book lives, I know;
in Dharma-less worlds the Dharma may spring to life again
Beat the gods till they're dead, and when no shadow remains,
clear, sharp in the formless void, wise and foolish will appear.

Nothing is New: we walk where others went.
Ther's no vice now, but has his president.

No trust to metals nor to marbles, when
These have their fate and wear away as men;
Times, titles, trophies may be lost and spent,
But virtue rears the eternal monument.
What more than these can tombs or tombstones pay?
But here's the sunset of a tedious day:
These two asleep are: I'll but be undressed
And so to bed: pray wish us all good rest.

1. Now, the boys and the girls went out huckleberry hunting, To me
Hi lo, me Ranzo boy! Oh, the girls, they fell down and the
boys they ran after them, To me Hi lo, me Ranzo boy!
2. One little boy he says to his beau, " I saw your little garter, " To me
Hi lo, me Ranzo boy! " If you'll take me for your beau, I'll be
with you ever after, " To me Hi lo, me Ranzo boy!

Now that the time has come wherein
Our Saviour Christ was born,
The larder's full of beef and pork,
The granary's full of corn,
As God hath plenty to thee sent,
Take comfort of thy labours,
And let it never thee repent
To feed thy needy neighbours.

Now, Lord, or never they'll believe on Thee;
Thou to their teeth hast proved Thy Deity.

1. Now help us, Lord, Thy yoke to wear, and joy to
2. O hasten, Lord, the promised days, when all the
do Thy will; Each other's burdens gladly bear, and love's sweet
nations shall rejoice; And Jew and Gentile join in praise, with one u-
law fulfill, And love's sweet law fulfill.
nited voice! With one united voice!
1. And love's sweet law fulfill.
2. With one united voice!

Now art thou fair, Diodorus,
And ripe for love thou art,
E'en should'st thou wed a woman,
From thee we'll not depart.