by Ernest L. Norman
And there was a man who marveled much
upon his life and he sayeth unto himself,
“All my life I have worked hard, I have accrued
much wealth and have been a good husband
I have many ships and my caravans are
crossing the desert in all directions ~
Yet, I have no friends.
Yea, there are many who call me friend, but
only because of my riches, and I trust them not;
For they have all proven false.
“Yet, I know not the real love of my wife,
for she doth seem ever fearful of me,
Why doest my children become silent
when I draw nigh them?”
An Angel appeared to him and spoke thusly:
“Thy voice has been heard and thy
question shall be answered.”
And the Angel taking him by the hand,
showed him a great river
That standing upon the bank of the river was a man
He had many water jars and vessels which
he filled from the river
And taking them back unto the land,
poured the water upon it.
Now the man marveled much, for he could
see no sign of any growing thing.
For it was but desert sands where the water was poured ~
Neither had any plow touched it.
The Angel taketh him again by the hand
and showeth him another river,
And upon the banks of this river was a
beautiful home; and there were beautiful
gardens about – with a pool.
A ditch had been digged from the river unto
the pool from some distance above.
And a small mound of stones placed near
the bank in the river, so that the water
flowed through the ditch and into the pool,
And into the garden and crops around the house.
Again the man marveled – and the Angel spoke thus;
“Thou hast seen how it is, that when one
taketh from the River of Life –
And that these that ye taketh are
not placed in properly prepared soil;
That ye are merely pouring these waters of life
And as they flow into thee, though some
of them remain with thee, as in the pool ~
Yet, it must be, that some of these waters must
flow outwardly into all things about ye,
And into the properly prepared soil, and thus
it shall be that thy life shall be fruitful.”
Excerpt from The Anthenium