Dissonance

quotes from Verse 55 of the Tao Te Ching, by Laoxi

counting days until the next vacation

birthdays, holidays, wishing, giving

each bowl of ice cream, each slice of cake

peaches in winter, berries in spring

To know harmony is to know the Changeless.

To know the Changeless is to have insight.

memories of sugar wrapped in plastic

green striped lollipop as big as my head

Mom said I couldn’t eat it all

and the ants proved her right

To hasten the growth of life is ominous.

To be overgrown is to decay.

that winter it rained without stopping

the lights went out, the roads washed away

so we ate dog food and raisins

our children will be counting days

All this is against Tao,

And whatever is against Tao soon ceases to be.