Studying at a liberal arts institution, you hear a lot about Truth, which is, of course, a wonderful thing to hear about. Apollinian order, the sun's brightness, the aetherial strokes of the divine lyre. But, sometimes, in our "depth" and "understanding," we need to be reminded how shallow our perception is, how un-fathom-able are the depths of truth. To do this, I quote in entirety Frost's lovely poem, "Neither Out Far Nor In Deep"
The people along the sand
All turn and look one way.
They turn their back on the land.
They look at the sea all day.
As long as it takes to pass
A ship keeps raising its hull;
The wetter ground like glass
Reflects a standing gull.
The land may vary more;
But wherever the truth may be--
The water comes ashore,
And the people look at the sea.
They cannot look out far.
They cannot look in deep.
But when was that ever a bar
To any watch they keep?
In his ineffable tenderness for the human experience, Frost gently reminds us of our limitations but encourages us to look all the same.
The people along the sand
All turn and look one way.
They turn their back on the land.
They look at the sea all day.
As long as it takes to pass
A ship keeps raising its hull;
The wetter ground like glass
Reflects a standing gull.
The land may vary more;
But wherever the truth may be--
The water comes ashore,
And the people look at the sea.
They cannot look out far.
They cannot look in deep.
But when was that ever a bar
To any watch they keep?
In his ineffable tenderness for the human experience, Frost gently reminds us of our limitations but encourages us to look all the same.
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