Say No More


My friend invites me to Angelo Mio for lunch.
He asks me "If enlightenment is so good, why
can't gurus and sages spread it around more?"

I cite Spinoza's last words in his Ethics
because "all things noble are as difficult
as they are rare"
— and in wisdom, less is more.

Here's a formula for happiness— number of
desires fulfilled divided by desires wished for—
Your joy is infinite when you desire no more.

Today's Dürer's birthday and I see the Angel
of Melencolia still brooding. Use that compass
to square the circle so you will be sad no more.

Hiking the Pulgas Ridge Trail on Easter Sunday—
someone has placed seven twigs on a rock to make
a Stone Face who whispers to me "Seek no more."

Peter— stop searching for the Philosopher's Stone
to turn lead into gold. Emily has found her
Elixir to make others happy— Say no more.


                        — Peter Y. Chou
                            Stanford, 5-21-2008


Robert Bly's Ghazal Writing Exercise
in his May 21 Stanford Workshop (40 minutes):
6 stanzas of 36 syllables ending with same word.




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