Spiritual stories, tales, poetry &amp; proverbs from the cultures of our worldnoreply@blogger.com (Anonymous)Wed, 28 Aug 2024 13:45:58 -0700Blogger http://www.blogger.com50125http://fire-roses.blogspot.com/en-usnowriting,community,arts,society,culture,music,drama,theatre,performance,improvisation,researchSpiritual stories, tales, poetry &amp; proverbs from the cultures of our worldemburke@ishahel.orghttp://fire-roses.blogspot.com/2010/04/mulla-nasrudin-on-respect.htmlHodjaMulla NasrudinrespectSufiFri, 23 Apr 2010 06:55:00 -0700tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6550313073260156432.post-6723284266444870097A number of would-be disciples came to the Mulla one day and asked him to give them a lecture. <br /> "Very well," he said, "follow me to the lecture hall."<br /> They lined up obediently behind Nasrudin, who mounted his donkey back to front, and moved off. At first the youths were confused, <br /> later they remembered that they should not question even the slightest action of a teacher. Finally they could not bear the jeers of the ordinary passers-by.<br /> Sensing their unease, the Mulla stopped and stared at them. Then the boldest of them all approached him.<br /> "Mulla, we don't understand. Why are you riding that donkey face to tail?"<br /> "Quite simple," said the Mulla. "You see, if you were to walk in front of me, this would be disrespectful to me. On the other hand, if I had my back to you, it would be disrespectful toward you. This is the sole possible compromise."0emburke@ishahel.org (Anonymous)http://fire-roses.blogspot.com/2010/01/frozen-logger-alternate.htmlMon, 4 Jan 2010 18:20:00 -0800tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6550313073260156432.post-1700013012631178880The Frozen Logger by James Stevens (Alternate)<br /> <br /> As I set down one evening in a timber town cafe<br /> A six foot-seven waitress, to me these words did say<br /> "I see you are a logger and not a common bum<br /> For no one but a logger stirs his coffee with his thumb<br /> <br /> "My lover was a logger, there's none like him today<br /> If you'd sprinkle whisky on it, he'd eat a bale of hay<br /> He never shaved the whiskers from off his horny hide<br /> But he'd pound 'em in with a hammer, then bite 'em off inside<br /> <br /> "My lover came to see me one freezing winter day<br /> He held me in a fond embrace that broke three vertebrae<br /> He kissed me when we parted so hard it broke my jaw<br /> And I could not speak to tell him he'd forgot his mackinaw<br /> <br /> "I watched my logger lover going through the snow<br /> A-sauntering gaily homeward at forty eight below<br /> The weather tried to freeze him, it tried its level best<br /> At a hundred degrees below zero, he buttoned up his vest<br /> <br /> "It froze clean down to China, it froze to the stars above<br /> At one thousand degrees below zero it froze my logger love<br /> They tried in vain to thaw him and if you'll believe me, sir<br /> They made him into axe blades to chop the Douglas fir<br /> <br /> "That's how I lost my lover and to this caffay I come<br /> And here I wait till someone stirs his coffee with his thumb<br /> And then I tell my story of my love they could not thaw<br /> Who kissed me when we parted so hard he broke my jaw"0emburke@ishahel.org (Anonymous)