Thirty blows of the stick
if right, thirty blows
if wrong, or Namsen’s sword
and a severed cat
a half to each
a whole to none
Be thankful you
didn’t argue about a man
for with a shoe
on the head, your feet
may touch the sky.
A reflection on Case 14 of the Mumonkan (Gateless Gate Koans)
It is simply a matter
Of putting one foot
In front of the other
It all follows from that.
But which foot goes first,
He asked, I’d hate
To get off on the wrong one?
He is certain he has the answer
and is imply waiting for someone
to ask the correct question.
He knows he cannot be wrong
For if the answer seems so
it is only because the wrong
question was asked, and that
would hardly be his fault.
He tells people this, asking
that they carefully consider
what the right question would be.
Eventually someone always
gets it right, merely asks
“Are you crazy?” to which
he responds, “isn’t it obvious?”
Sooner or later
the moment arrives
when there is no option
left and you
have to decide.
There are never
facts enough, or time –
uncertainty is a most
unwelcome companion.
In this moment
indecision is not
an allowed outcome
and every selection is
at once right and wrong.
an old writer and his words 