Forever learning...

'A Lesson in Taoism'

The spirit spoke candidly
Pacing
This way and that
Carelessly flicking
Divine cigarette ash
A little impatient
And rather annoyed

'Listen you burk
It's quite simple really
Forget that ineffable mumbo-jumbo
And holier than thou shit
That is just PR
For our conservative constituents'

Hurling me
Through time and space
(He grabbed me by the scruff of the neck
And flung me across the room)
He went on

'Before you can believe
In spirits
Or the world around you
You must first
Believe in yourself
- Just what did you think we gave you heart and brain for?'

Aiding my understanding
(Or perhaps showing his contempt for me)
He drew a diagram

'Mind, body and soul
Think you can remember that?
After all
It begins and ends with you'

I nodded sagely
(Whatever that looks like: I probably looked like George Formby fellating a baboon)

'Circumstances are not important
But your responses to them are'

Lighting another one of my cigarettes
He went on

'Freely give
As you travel
The highways of your life
There is no need to take
Merely ask one
To consider
Doing good for another'

I asked him about strength
He smacked me repeatedly around the head

'Thats not strength
Just brutality
Strength is about
Character
How it's tested
To do the right thing
Come hell or high water'

Recovering composure
I assured the spirit
That I finally understood

'Yeah? Well, you watch your ass
Or I will strut right in
Straight into your dreams
And rearrange everything'

He was gone:
The cigarette was burning a hole
In the carpet
And he took my packet of Marlboro Lights
Git!

But don't get me wrong
I learnt my lesson
Did you?

5th November 2003, hallucinating whilst staring at the ceiling