The Hermit

 

                          He sits upon a mountain crag

                          like Buddha in a yoga position

                          his face is expressionless

                          a mystical figure from a foreign land

                          concealing forever

                          the myriad emotions

                          floating just beneath the surface

 

                          His face is benign

                          a friendly alternative

                          asks only of you

                          please be my pupil

                          let me teach you

 

                          But the applicants

                          are few and far between

                          the low road it too busy

                          catered food

                          sends its own seductive message

                          our time is so short

 

                          So they stare at him from afar:

                          O noble wise man

                          alone in a distant land

                          today is today

                          that is all we have

 

 

                                                      Jack Mashman

                                                      1992