“Yet half the beast is the great god Pan, To laugh, as he sits by the river, Making a poet out of a man. The true gods sigh for the cost and the pain-- For the reed that grows never more again As a reed with the reeds of the river.” MenPainGrowsHalfMusicLaughingPoetCostRiversBeastSighReedsTrue God Book:Poetical works Source: Poetical works
“Out of the hills of Habersham, Down the valleys of Hall, I hurry amain to reach the plain; Run the rapid and leap the fall, Split at the rock, and together again Accept my bed, or narrow or wide, And flee from folly on every side With a lover's pain to attain the plain, Far from the hills of Habersham, Far from the valleys of Hall.” RunningPainTogetherFallSidesAcceptingRocksLoversBedRiversWideHillsFollyHallsLeapValleysSplitsRapidsTogether Again Book:Poems of Sidney Lanier Source: Poems of Sidney Lanier
“One man watches a river flow by. If he does not wish it to flow, to change ceaselessly in accord with its nature, he will suffer great pain. Another man understands that nature of the river is to change constantly, regardless of his likes and dislikes, and therefore he does not suffer. To know existence as this flow, empty of lasting pleasure, void of self, is to find that which is stable and free of suffering, to find true peace in the world.” IfsKnowsMenWorldDoeSelfPainSufferingWishPleasureExistenceWatchesFlowRiversEmptyLikesLastingOne ManDislikeVoidStableAnother ManAccordTrue PeaceLikes And Dislikes Author:Ajahn Chah
“Aquatic animals suffer from the disadvantage that they cannot scream when in pain, so we find it hard to gauge the degree of their agony. If fish could scream, angling purely for sport would be outlawed without delay.” IfsHardWould BePainSufferingSportsAnimalSeaDegreesRiversFishesBoatLakesFishingScreamAgonyDelayDisadvantagesGaugesAngling Author:Desmond Morris