If you stand on the shore
of a still pond and toss
a stone into its middle
the ripples will spread slowly
until the water laps your toes.

If you stand on the shore
of a still pond and toss
a ring of the finest gold
into the middle,
the ripples will spread slowly
until the water laps your toes.

If I come upon this pond
and see the ripples
I won’t know if
a stone or ring lies beneath
and the ripples will go on forever
never knowing or caring
of their source.

Reflecting on Case 59 of the Iron Flute (Tetteki Tosui)