grotto

you can’t miss the thing at all

there’s the street it goes right by

and there the town square you pass along

and suddenly there’s the place

look here you plump you down

I say are you mad quite folly-cast

took sick blind as any shrieking bat

well take out your money here and now

when the morning stars sang they emptied their filth into this place

now have you seen my will in the matter

there is them as wants it shall not have it

you and I have a lot of ground to cover

is it really as hard as all that

come have you squinted or lollygagged

instead of using your wits have you tried

well then here’s your tea and slop be content

go ahead and take a look now it won’t harm you

that’s it with you taking a look we’ll have you settled

and all this place now very soon

a place for everything and everything in its place

you do not bargain very well my friend

if you do not have me well do you have nothing

you know very well what you have and bear it

there’s an end laid on you have you know your just deserts

do not mistake this for a place of anomaly

you know it for what it is a grotto nothing more

many more like it every day so do your work

be glad and health and fitness attend you laboring

what is this a garden where the gardener

yes that’s a story for another day

what I shall say for this while is

have a care remember our first meeting

that is all that’s enough and if our journeys end

they meet as meet we now and thus complete

the peril and the passing time in joy as well

as wishing for abandon and reflection there

so there a record of these beginnings and endings

with the great arc in the middle they teach at school

state your purpose and leave your name at the door

you’ll have reached the institution in some degree