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diff --git a/5616.txt b/5616.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..330f9a9 --- /dev/null +++ b/5616.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1651 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Madman, by Khalil Gibran + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Madman + +Author: Khalil Gibran + +Posting Date: July 2, 2011 [EBook #5616] +Release Date: May, 2004 +[This file was first posted on July 22, 2002] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MADMAN *** + + + + +Produced by William Fishburne + + + + + + + + +The Madman + +His Parables and Poems + + +By Kahlil Gibran + + + + + +You ask me how I became a madman. It happened thus: One day, long +before many gods were born, I woke from a deep sleep and found all +my masks were stolen,--the seven masks I have fashioned and worn in +seven lives,--I ran maskless through the crowded streets shouting, +"Thieves, thieves, the cursed thieves." + +Men and women laughed at me and some ran to their houses in fear +of me. + +And when I reached the market place, a youth standing on a house-top +cried, "He is a madman." I looked up to behold him; the sun kissed +my own naked face for the first time. For the first time the sun +kissed my own naked face and my soul was inflamed with love for +the sun, and I wanted my masks no more. And as if in a trance I +cried, "Blessed, blessed are the thieves who stole my masks." + +Thus I became a madman. + +And I have found both freedom and safety in my madness; the freedom of loneliness and the safety from being understood, for those who understand us enslave something in us. + +But let me not be too proud of my safety. Even a Thief in a jail +is safe from another thief. + + + + + +God + + + + +In the ancient days, when the first quiver of speech came to my lips, +I ascended the holy mountain and spoke unto God, saying, "Master, +I am thy slave. Thy hidden will is my law and I shall obey thee +for ever more." + +But God made no answer, and like a mighty tempest passed away. + +And after a thousand years I ascended the holy mountain and again +spoke unto God, saying, "Creator, I am thy creation. Out of clay +hast thou fashioned me and to thee I owe mine all." + +And God made no answer, but like a thousand swift wings passed +away. + +And after a thousand years I climbed the holy mountain and spoke +unto God again, saying, "Father, I am thy son. In pity and love +thou hast given me birth, and through love and worship I shall +inherit thy kingdom." + +And God made no answer, and like the mist that veils the distant +hills he passed away. + +And after a thousand years I climbed the sacred mountain and again +spoke unto God, saying, "My God, my aim and my fulfillment; I am +thy yesterday and thou are my tomorrow. I am thy root in the earth +and thou art my flower in the sky, and together we grow before the +face of the sun." + +Then God leaned over me, and in my ears whispered words of sweetness, +and even as the sea that enfoldeth a brook that runneth down to +her, he enfolded me. + +And when I descended to the valleys and the plains God was there +also. + + + + + +My Friend + + + + +My friend, I am not what I seem. Seeming is but a garment I wear--a +care-woven garment that protects me from thy questionings and thee +from my negligence. + +The "I" in me, my friend, dwells in the house of silence, and +therein it shall remain for ever more, unperceived, unapproachable. + +I would not have thee believe in what I say nor trust in what I +do--for my words are naught but thy own thoughts in sound and my +deeds thy own hopes in action. + +When thou sayest, "The wind bloweth eastward," I say, "Aye it doth +blow eastward"; for I would not have thee know that my mind doth +not dwell upon the wind but upon the sea. + +Thou canst not understand my seafaring thoughts, nor would I have +thee understand. I would be at sea alone. + +When it is day with thee, my friend, it is night with me; yet even +then I speak of the noontide that dances upon the hills and of +the purple shadow that steals its way across the valley; for thou +canst not hear the songs of my darkness nor see my wings beating +against the stars--and I fain would not have thee hear or see. I +would be with night alone. + +When thou ascendest to thy Heaven I descend to my Hell--even then +thou callest to me across the unbridgeable gulf, "My companion, my +comrade," and I call back to thee, "My comrade, my companion"--for +I would not have thee see my Hell. The flame would burn thy eyesight +and the smoke would crowd thy nostrils. And I love my Hell too +well to have thee visit it. I would be in Hell alone. + +Thou lovest Truth and Beauty and Righteousness; and I for thy sake +say it is well and seemly to love these things. But in my heart +I laught at thy love. Yet I would not have thee see my laughter. +I would laugh alone. + +My friend, thou art good and cautious and wise; nay, thou art +perfect--and I, too, speak with thee wisely and cautiously. And +yet I am mad. But I mask my madness. I would be mad alone. + +My friend, thou art not my friend, but how shall I make thee +understand? My path is not thy path, yet together we walk, hand +in hand. + + + + + +The Scarecrow + + + + +Once I said to a scarecrow, "You must be tired of standing in this +lonely field." + +And he said, "The joy of scaring is a deep and lasting one, and I +never tire of it." + +Said I, after a minute of thought, "It is true; for I too have +known that joy." + +Said he, "Only those who are stuffed with straw can know it." + +Then I left him, not knowing whether he had complimented or belittled +me. + +A year passed, during which the scarecrow turned philosopher. + +And when I passed by him again I saw two crows building a nest +under his hat. + + + + + +The Sleep-Walkers + + + + +In the town where I was born lived a woman and her daughter, who +walked in their sleep. + +One night, while silence enfolded the world, the woman and her +daughter, walking, yet asleep, met in their mist-veiled garden. + +And the mother spoke, and she said: "At last, at last, my enemy! +You by whom my youth was destroyed--who have built up your life +upon the ruins of mine! Would I could kill you!" + +And the daughter spoke, and she said: "O hateful woman, selfish +and old! Who stand between my freer self and me! Who would have +my life an echo of your own faded life! Would you were dead!" + +At that moment a cock crew, and both women awoke. The mother said +gently, "Is that you, darling?" And the daughter answered gently, +"Yes, dear." + + + + + +The Wise Dog + + + + +One day there passed by a company of cats a wise dog. + +And as he came near and saw that they were very intent and heeded +him not, he stopped. + +Then there arose in the midst of the company a large, grave cat and +looked upon them and said, "Brethren, pray ye; and when ye have +prayed again and yet again, nothing doubting, verily then it shall +rain mice." + +And when the dog heard this he laughed in his heart and turned from +them saying, "O blind and foolish cats, has it not been written and +have I not known and my fathers before me, that that which raineth +for prayer and faith and supplication is not mice but bones." + + + + + +The Two Hermits + + + + +Upon a lonely mountain, there lived two hermits who worshipped God +and loved one another. + +Now these two hermits had one earthen bowl, and this was their only +possession. + +One day an evil spirit entered into the heart of the older hermit +and he came to the younger and said, "It is long that we have +lived together. The time has come for us to part. Let us divide +our possessions." + +Then the younger hermit was saddened and he said, "It grieves +me, Brother, that thou shouldst leave me. But if thou must needs +go, so be it," and he brought the earthen bowl and gave it to him +saying, "We cannot divide it, Brother, let it be thine." + +Then the older hermit said, "Charity I will not accept. I will +take nothing but mine own. It must be divided." + +And the younger one said, "If the bowl be broken, of what use would +it be to thee or to me? If it be thy pleasure let us rather cast +a lot." + +But the older hermit said again, "I will have but justice and mine +own, and I will not trust justice and mine own to vain chance. The +bowl must be divided." + +Then the younger hermit could reason no further and he said, "If +it be indeed thy will, and if even so thou wouldst have it let us +now break the bowl." + +But the face of the older hermit grew exceedingly dark, and he +cried, "O thou cursed coward, thou wouldst not fight." + + + + + +On Giving and Taking + + + + +Once there lived a man who had a valley-full of needles. And one +day the mother of Jesus came to him and said: "Friend, my son's +garment is torn and I must needs mend it before he goeth to the +temple. Wouldst thou not give me a needle?" + +And he gave her not a needle, but he gave her a learned discourse +on Giving and Taking to carry to her son before he should go to +the temple. + + + + + +The Seven Selves + + + + +In the stillest hour of the night, as I lay half asleep, my seven +selves sat together and thus conversed in whisper: + +First Self: Here, in this madman, I have dwelt all these years, +with naught to do but renew his pain by day and recreate his sorrow +by night. I can bear my fate no longer, and now I rebel. + +Second Self: Yours is a better lot than mine, brother, for it is +given to me to be this madman's joyous self. I laugh his laughter +and sing his happy hours, and with thrice winged feet I dance +his brighter thoughts. It is I that would rebel against my weary +existence. + +Third Self: And what of me, the love-ridden self, the flaming brand +of wild passion and fantastic desires? It is I the love-sick self +who would rebel against this madman. + +Fourth Self: I, amongst you all, am the most miserable, for naught +was given me but odious hatred and destructive loathing. It is +I, the tempest-like self, the one born in the black caves of Hell, +who would protest against serving this madman. + +Fifth Self: Nay, it is I, the thinking self, the fanciful self, +the self of hunger and thirst, the one doomed to wander without +rest in search of unknown things and things not yet created; it is +I, not you, who would rebel. + +Sixth Self: And I, the working self, the pitiful labourer, who, +with patient hands, and longing eyes, fashion the days into images +and give the formless elements new and eternal forms--it is I, the +solitary one, who would rebel against this restless madman. + +Seventh Self: How strange that you all would rebel against this +man, because each and every one of you has a preordained fate to +fulfill. Ah! could I but be like one of you, a self with a determined +lot! But I have none, I am the do-nothing self, the one who sits +in the dumb, empty nowhere and nowhen, while you are busy re-creating +life. Is it you or I, neighbours, who should rebel? + +When the seventh self thus spake the other six selves looked with +pity upon him but said nothing more; and as the night grew deeper +one after the other went to sleep enfolded with a new and happy +submission. + +But the seventh self remained watching and gazing at nothingness, +which is behind all things. + + + + + +War + + + + +One night a feast was held in the palace, and there came a man and +prostrated himself before the prince, and all the feasters looked +upon him; and they saw that one of his eyes was out and that +the empty socket bled. And the prince inquired of him, "What has +befallen you?" And the man replied, "O prince, I am by profession +a thief, and this night, because there was no moon, I went to rob +the money-changer's shop, and as I climbed in through the window +I made a mistake and entered the weaver's shop, and in the dark I +ran into the weaver's loom and my eye was plucked out. And now, +O prince, I ask for justice upon the weaver." + +Then the prince sent for the weaver and he came, and it was decreed +that one of his eyes should be plucked out. + +"O prince," said the weaver, "the decree is just. It is right that +one of my eyes be taken. And yet, alas! both are necessary to me +in order that I may see the two sides of the cloth that I weave. +But I have a neighbour, a cobbler, who has also two eyes, and in +his trade both eyes are not necessary." + +Then the prince sent for the cobbler. And he came. And they took +out one of the cobbler's two eyes. + +And justice was satisfied. + + + + + +The Fox + + + + +A fox looked at his shadow at sunrise and said, "I will have +a camel for lunch today." And all morning he went about looking +for camels. But at noon he saw his shadow again--and he said, "A +mouse will do." + + + + + +The Wise King + + + + +Once there ruled in the distant city of Wirani a king who was both +mighty and wise. And he was feared for his might and loved for +his wisdom. + +Now, in the heart of that city was a well, whose water was cool and +crystalline, from which all the inhabitants drank, even the king +and his courtiers; for there was no other well. + +One night when all were asleep, a witch entered the city, and poured +seven drops of strange liquid into the well, and said, "From this +hour he who drinks this water shall become mad." + +Next morning all the inhabitants, save the king and his lord +chamberlain, drank from the well and became mad, even as the witch +had foretold. + +And during that day the people in the narrow streets and in the +market places did naught but whisper to one another, "The king is +mad. Our king and his lord chamberlain have lost their reason. +Surely we cannot be ruled by a mad king. We must dethrone him." + +That evening the king ordered a golden goblet to be filled from the +well. And when it was brought to him he drank deeply, and gave it +to his lord chamberlain to drink. + +And there was great rejoicing in that distant city of Wirani, +because its king and its lord chamberlain had regained their reason. + + + + + +Ambition + + + + +Three men met at a tavern table. One was a weaver, another a +carpenter and the third a ploughman. + +Said the weaver, "I sold a fine linen shroud today for two pieces +of gold. Let us have all the wine we want." + +"And I," said the carpenter, "I sold my best coffin. We will have +a great roast with the wine." + +"I only dug a grave," said the ploughman, "but my patron paid me +double. Let us have honey cakes too." + +And all that evening the tavern was busy, for they called often +for wine and meat and cakes. And they were merry. + +And the host rubbed his hands and smiled at his wife; for his guests +were spending freely. + +When they left the moon was high, and they walked along the road +singing and shouting together. + +The host and his wife stood in the tavern door and looked after +them. + +"Ah!" said the wife, "these gentlemen! So freehanded and so gay! +If only they could bring us such luck every day! Then our son need +not be a tavern-keeper and work so hard. We could educate him, +and he could become a priest." + + + + + +The New Pleasure + + + + +Last night I invented a new pleasure, and as I was giving it the +first trial an angel and a devil came rushing toward my house. They +met at my door and fought with each other over my newly created +pleasure; the one crying, "It is a sin!"--the other, "It is a +virtue!" + + + + + +The Other Language + + + + +Three days after I was born, as I lay in my silken cradle, gazing +with astonished dismay on the new world round about me, my mother +spoke to the wet-nurse, saying, "How does my child?" + +And the wet-nurse answered, "He does well, Madame, I have fed him +three times; and never before have I seen a babe so young yet so +gay." + +And I was indignant; and I cried, "It is not true, mother; for +my bed is hard, and the milk I have sucked is bitter to my mouth, +and the odour of the breast is foul in my nostrils, and I am most +miserable." + +But my mother did not understand, nor did the nurse; for the language +I spoke was that of the world from which I came. + +And on the twenty-first day of my life, as I was being christened, +the priest said to my mother, "You should indeed by happy, Madame, +that your son was born a Christian." + +And I was surprised,--and I said to the priest, "Then your mother +in Heaven should be unhappy, for you were not born a Christian." + +But the priest too did not understand my language. + +And after seven moons, one day a soothsayer looked at me, and he +said to my mother, "Your son will be a statesman and a great leader +of men." + +But I cried out,--"That is a false prophet; for I shall be a +musician, and naught but a musician shall I be." + +But even at that age my language was not understood--and great was +my astonishment. + +And after three and thirty years, during which my mother, and the +nurse, and the priest have all died, (the shadow of God be upon +their spirits) the soothsayer still lives. And yesterday I met him +near the gates of the temple; and while we were talking together +he said, "I have always known you would become a great musician. +Even in your infancy I prophesied and foretold your future." + +And I believed him--for now I too have forgotten the language of +that other world. + + + + + +The Pomegranate + + + + +Once when I was living in the heart of a pomegranate, I heard a seed +saying, "Someday I shall become a tree, and the wind will sing in +my branches, and the sun will dance on my leaves, and I shall be +strong and beautiful through all the seasons." + +Then another seed spoke and said, "When I was as young as you, I +too held such views; but now that I can weigh and measure things, +I see that my hopes were vain." + +And a third seed spoke also, "I see in us nothing that promises so +great a future." + +And a fourth said, "But what a mockery our life would be, without +a greater future!" + +Said a fifth, "Why dispute what we shall be, when we know not even +what we are." + +But a sixth replied, "Whatever we are, that we shall continue to +be." + +And a seventh said, "I have such a clear idea how everything will +be, but I cannot put it into words." + +Then an eight spoke--and a ninth--and a tenth--and then many--until +all were speaking, and I could distinguish nothing for the many +voices. + +And so I moved that very day into the heart of a quince, where the +seeds are few and almost silent. + + + + + +The Two Cages + + + + +In my father's garden there are two cages. In one is a lion, which +my father's slaves brought from the desert of Ninavah; in the other +is a songless sparrow. + +Every day at dawn the sparrow calls to the lion, "Good morrow to +thee, brother prisoner." + + + + + +The Three Ants + + + + +Three ants met on the nose of a man who was asleep in the sun. And +after they had saluted one another, each according to the custom +of his tribe, they stood there conversing. + +The first ant said, "These hills and plains are the most barren I +have known. I have searched all day for a grain of some sort, and +there is none to be found." + +Said the second ant, "I too have found nothing, though I have +visited every nook and glade. This is, I believe, what my people +call the soft, moving land where nothing grows." + +Then the third ant raised his head and said, "My friends, we are +standing now on the nose of the Supreme Ant, the mighty and infinite +Ant, whose body is so great that we cannot see it, whose shadow +is so vast that we cannot trace it, whose voice is so loud that we +cannot hear it; and He is omnipresent." + +When the third ant spoke thus the other ants looked at each other +and laughed. + +At that moment the man moved and in his sleep raised his hand and +scratched his nose, and the three ants were crushed. + + + + + +The Grave-Digger + + + + +Once, as I was burying one of my dead selves, the grave-digger came +by and said to me, "Of all those who come here to bury, you alone +I like." + +Said I, "You please me exceedingly, but why do you like me?" + +"Because," said he, "They come weeping and go weeping--you only +come laughing and go laughing." + + + + + +On the Steps of the Temple + + + + +Yestereve, on the marble steps of the Temple, I saw a woman sitting +between two men. One side of her face was pale, the other was +blushing. + + + + + +The Blessed City + + + + +In my youth I was told that in a certain city every one lived +according to the Scriptures. + +And I said, "I will seek that city and the blessedness thereof." +And it was far. And I made great provision for my journey. And +after forty days I beheld the city and on the forty-first day I +entered into it. + +And lo! the whole company of the inhabitants had each but a single +eye and but one hand. And I was astonished and said to myself, +"Shall they of this so holy city have but one eye and one hand?" + +Then I saw that they too were astonished, for they were marveling +greatly at my two hands and my two eyes. And as they were speaking +together I inquired of them saying, "Is this indeed the Blessed +City, where each man lives according to the Scriptures?" And they +said, "Yes, this is that city." + +"And what," said I, "hath befallen you, and where are your right +eyes and your right hands?" + +And all the people were moved. And they said, "Come thou and see." + +And they took me to the temple in the midst of the city. And in +the temple I saw a heap of hands and eyes. All withered. Then said +I, "Alas! what conqueror hath committed this cruelty upon you?" + +And there went a murmur amongst them. And one of their elders +stood forth and said, "This doing is of ourselves. God hath made +us conquerors over the evil that was in us." + +And he led me to a high altar, and all the people followed. And +he showed me above the altar an inscription graven, and I read: + + +"If thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out and cast it from thee; +for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, +and not that the whole body should be cast into hell. And if thy +right hand offend thee, cut it off and cast it from thee; for it +is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and +not that thy whole body should be cast into hell." + + +Then I understood. And I turned about to all the people and cried, +"Hath no man or woman among you two eyes or two hands?" + +And they answered me saying, "No, not one. There is none whole save +such as are yet too young to read the Scripture and to understand +its commandment." + +And when we had come out of the temple, I straightway left that +Blessed City; for I was not too young, and I could read the scripture. + + + + + +The Good God and the Evil God + + + + +The Good God and the Evil God met on the mountain top. + +The Good God said, "Good day to you, brother." + +The Evil God did not answer. + +And the Good God said, "You are in a bad humour today." + +"Yes," said the Evil God, "for of late I have been often mistaken +for you, called by your name, and treated as if I were you, and it +ill-pleases me." + +And the Good God said, "But I too have been mistaken for you and +called by your name." + +The Evil God walked away cursing the stupidity of man. + + + + + +Defeat + + + + +Defeat, my Defeat, my solitude and my aloofness; +You are dearer to me than a thousand triumphs, +And sweeter to my heart than all world-glory. + +Defeat, my Defeat, my self-knowledge and my defiance, +Through you I know that I am yet young and swift of foot +And not to be trapped by withering laurels. +And in you I have found aloneness +And the joy of being shunned and scorned. + +Defeat, my Defeat, my shining sword and shield, +In your eyes I have read +That to be enthroned is to be enslaved, +And to be understood is to be leveled down, +And to be grasped is but to reach one's fullness +And like a ripe fruit to fall and be consumed. + +Defeat, my Defeat, my bold companion, +You shall hear my songs and my cries and my silences, +And none but you shall speak to me of the beating of wings, +And urging of seas, +And of mountains that burn in the night, +And you alone shall climb my steep and rocky soul. + +Defeat, my Defeat, my deathless courage, +You and I shall laugh together with the storm, +And together we shall dig graves for all that die in us, +And we shall stand in the sun with a will, +And we shall be dangerous. + + + + + +Night and the Madman + + + + +"I am like thee, O, Night, dark and naked; I walk on the flaming +path which is above my day-dreams, and whenever my foot touches +earth a giant oak tree comes forth." + +"Nay, thou art not like me, O, Madman, for thou still lookest +backward to see how large a foot-print thou leavest on the sand." + +"I am like thee, O, Night, silent and deep; and in the heart of +my loneliness lies a Goddess in child-bed; and in him who is being +born Heaven touches Hell." + +"Nay, thou art not like me, O, Madman, for thou shudderest yet +before pain, and the song of the abyss terrifies thee." + +"I am like thee, O, Night, wild and terrible; for my ears are crowded +with cries of conquered nations and sighs for forgotten lands." + +"Nay, thou art not like me, O, Madman, for thou still takest thy +little-self for a comrade, and with thy monster-self thou canst +not be friend." + +"I am like thee, O, Night, cruel and awful; for my bosom is lit +by burning ships at sea, and my lips are wet with blood of slain +warriors." + +"Nay, thou art not like me, O, Madman; for the desire for a +sister-spirit is yet upon thee, and thou has not become alone unto +thyself." + +"I am like thee, O, Night, joyous and glad; for he who dwells in +my shadow is now drunk with virgin wine, and she who follows me is +sinning mirthfully." + +"Nay, thou art not like me, O, Madman, for thy soul is wrapped in +the veil of seven folds and thou holdest not thy heart in thine +hand." + +"I am like thee, O, Night, patient and passionate; for in my breast +a thousand dead lovers are buried in shrouds of withered kisses." + +"Yea, Madman, art thou like me? Art thou like me? And canst thou +ride the tempest as a steed, and grasp the lightning as a sword?" + +"Like thee, O, Night, like thee, mighty and high, and my throne is +built upon heaps of fallen Gods; and before me too pass the days +to kiss the hem of my garment but never to gaze at my face." + +"Art thou like me, child of my darkest heart? And dost thou think +my untamed thoughts and speak my vast language?" + +"Yea, we are twin brothers, O, Night; for thou revealest space and +I reveal my soul." + + + + + +Faces + + + + +I have seen a face with a thousand countenances, and a face that +was but a single countenance as if held in a mould. + + +I have seen a face whose sheen I could look through to the ugliness +beneath, and a face whose sheen I had to lift to see how beautiful +it was. + + +I have seen an old face much lined with nothing, and a smooth face +in which all things were graven. + + +I know faces, because I look through the fabric my own eye weaves, +and behold the reality beneath. + + + + + +The Greater Sea + + + + +My soul and I went to the great sea to bathe. And when we reached +the shore, we went about looking for a hidden and lonely place. + +But as we walked, we saw a man sitting on a grey rock taking pinches +of salt from a bag and throwing them into the sea. + +"This is the pessimist," said my soul, "Let us leave this place. +We cannot bathe here." + +We walked on until we reached an inlet. There we saw, standing +on a white rock, a man holding a bejeweled box, from which he took +sugar and threw it into the sea. + +"And this is the optimist," said my soul, "And he too must not see +our naked bodies." + +Further on we walked. And on a beach we saw a man picking up dead +fish and tenderly putting them back into the water. + +"And we cannot bathe before him," said my soul. "He is the humane +philanthropist." + +And we passed on. + +Then we came where we saw a man tracing his shadow on the sand. +Great waves came and erased it. But he went on tracing it again +and again. + +"He is the mystic," said my soul, "Let us leave him." + +And we walked on, till in a quiet cover we saw a man scooping up +the foam and putting it into an alabaster bowl. + +"He is the idealist," said my soul, "Surely he must not see our +nudity." + +And on we walked. Suddenly we heard a voice crying, "This is the +sea. This is the deep sea. This is the vast and mighty sea." +And when we reached the voice it was a man whose back was turned +to the sea, and at his ear he held a shell, listening to its murmur. + +And my soul said, "Let us pass on. He is the realist, who turns +his back on the whole he cannot grasp, and busies himself with a +fragment." + +So we passed on. And in a weedy place among the rocks was a man +with his head buried in the sand. And I said to my soul, "We can +bath here, for he cannot see us." + +"Nay," said my soul, "For he is the most deadly of them all. He +is the puritan." + +Then a great sadness came over the face of my soul, and into her +voice. + +"Let us go hence," she said, "For there is no lonely, hidden place +where we can bathe. I would not have this wind lift my golden hair, +or bare my white bosom in this air, or let the light disclose my +sacred nakedness." + +Then we left that sea to seek the Greater Sea. + + + + + +Crucified + + + + +I cried to men, "I would be crucified!" + +And they said, "Why should your blood be upon our heads?" + +And I answered, "How else shall you be exalted except by crucifying +madmen?" + +And they heeded and I was crucified. And the crucifixion appeased +me. + +And when I was hanged between earth and heaven they lifted up their +heads to see me. And they were exalted, for their heads had never +before been lifted. + +But as they stood looking up at me one called out, "For what art +thou seeking to atone?" + +And another cried, "In what cause dost thou sacrifice thyself?" + +And a third said, "Thinkest thou with this price to buy world +glory?" + +Then said a fourth, "Behold, how he smiles! Can such pain be +forgiven?" + +And I answered them all, and said: + +"Remember only that I smiled. I do not atone--nor sacrifice--nor +wish for glory; and I have nothing to forgive. I thirsted--and I +besought you to give me my blood to drink. For what is there can +quench a madman's thirst but his own blood? I was dumb--and I +asked wounds of you for mouths. I was imprisoned in your days and +nights--and I sought a door into larger days and nights. + +And now I go--as others already crucified have gone. And think not +we are weary of crucifixion. For we must be crucified by larger +and yet larger men, between greater earths and greater heavens." + + + + + +The Astronomer + + + + +In the shadow of the temple my friend and I saw a blind man sitting +alone. And my friend said, "Behold the wisest man of our land." + +Then I left my friend and approached the blind man and greeted him. +And we conversed. + +After a while I said, "Forgive my question; but since when has thou +been blind?" + +"From my birth," he answered. + +Said I, "And what path of wisdom followest thou?" + +Said he, "I am an astronomer." + +Then he placed his hand upon his breast saying, "I watch all these +suns and moons and stars." + + + + + +The Great Longing + + + + +Here I sit between my brother the mountain and my sister the sea. + +We three are one in loneliness, and the love that binds us together +is deep and strong and strange. Nay, it is deeper than my sister's +depth and stronger than my brother's strength, and stranger than +the strangeness of my madness. + +Aeons upon aeons have passed since the first grey dawn made us +visible to one another; and though we have seen the birth and the +fullness and the death of many worlds, we are still eager and young. + +We are young and eager and yet we are mateless and unvisited, and +though we lie in unbroken half embrace, we are uncomforted. And +what comfort is there for controlled desire and unspent passion? +Whence shall come the flaming god to warm my sister's bed? And +what she-torrent shall quench my brother's fire? And who is the +woman that shall command my heart? + +In the stillness of the night my sister murmurs in her sleep the +fire-god's unknown name, and my brother calls afar upon the cool +and distant goddess. But upon whom I call in my sleep I know not. + +* * * * * * * * * + +Here I sit between my brother the mountain and my sister the sea. +We three are one in loneliness, and the love that binds us together +is deep and strong and strange. + + + + + +Said a Blade of Grass + + + + +Said a blade of grass to an autumn leaf, "You make such a noise +falling! You scatter all my winter dreams." + +Said the leaf indignant, "Low-born and low-dwelling! Songless, +peevish thing! You live not in the upper air and you cannot tell +the sound of singing." + +Then the autumn leaf lay down upon the earth and slept. And when +spring came she waked again--and she was a blade of grass. + +And when it was autumn and her winter sleep was upon her, and +above her through all the air the leaves were falling, she muttered +to herself, "O these autumn leaves! They make such noise! They +scatter all my winter dreams." + + + + + +The Eye + + + + +Said the Eye one day, "I see beyond these valleys a mountain veiled +with blue mist. Is it not beautiful?" + +The Ear listened, and after listening intently awhile, said, "But +where is any mountain? I do not hear it." + +Then the Hand spoke and said, "I am trying in vain to feel it or +touch it, and I can find no mountain." + +And the Nose said, "There is no mountain, I cannot smell it." + +Then the Eye turned the other way, and they all began to talk together +about the Eye's strange delusion. And they said, "Something must +be the matter with the Eye." + + + + + +The Two Learned Men + + + + +Once there lived in the ancient city of Afkar two learned men who +hated and belittled each other's learning. For one of them denied +the existence of the gods and the other was a believer. + +One day the two met in the marketplace, and amidst their followers +they began to dispute and to argue about the existence or the +non-existence of the gods. And after hours of contention they +parted. + +That evening the unbeliever went to the temple and prostrated himself +before the altar and prayed the gods to forgive his wayward past. + +And the same hour the other learned man, he who had upheld the +gods, burned his sacred books. For he had become an unbeliever. + + + + + +When My Sorrow Was Born + + + + +When my Sorrow was born I nursed it with care, and watched over it +with loving tenderness. + +And my Sorrow grew like all living things, strong and beautiful +and full of wondrous delights. + +And we loved one another, my Sorrow and I, and we loved the world +about us; for Sorrow had a kindly heart and mine was kindly with +Sorrow. + +And when we conversed, my Sorrow and I, our days were winged and +our nights were girdled with dreams; for Sorrow had an eloquent +tongue, and mine was eloquent with Sorrow. + +And when we sang together, my Sorrow and I, our neighbors sat at +their windows and listened; for our songs were deep as the sea and +our melodies were full of strange memories. + +And when we walked together, my Sorrow and I, people gazed at us +with gentle eyes and whispered in words of exceeding sweetness. +And there were those who looked with envy upon us, for Sorrow was +a noble thing and I was proud with Sorrow. + +But my Sorrow died, like all living things, and alone I am left to +muse and ponder. + +And now when I speak my words fall heavily upon my ears. + +And when I sing my songs my neighbours come not to listen. + +And when I walk the streets no one looks at me. + +Only in my sleep I hear voices saying in pity, "See, there lies +the man whose Sorrow is dead." + + + + + +And When my Joy was Born + + + + +And when my Joy was born, I held it in my arms and stood on the +house-top shouting, "Come ye, my neighbours, come and see, for Joy +this day is born unto me. Come and behold this gladsome thing that +laugheth in the sun." + +But none of my neighbours came to look upon my Joy, and great was +my astonishment. + +And every day for seven moons I proclaimed my Joy from the +house-top--and yet no one heeded me. And my Joy and I were alone, +unsought and unvisited. + +Then my Joy grew pale and weary because no other heart but mine +held its loveliness and no other lips kissed its lips. + +Then my Joy died of isolation. + +And now I only remember my dead Joy in remembering my dead Sorrow. +But memory is an autumn leaf that murmurs a while in the wind and +then is heard no more. + + + + + +"The Perfect World" + + + + +God of lost souls, thou who are lost amongst the gods, hear me: + +Gentle Destiny that watchest over us, mad, wandering spirits, hear +me: + +I dwell in the midst of a perfect race, I the most imperfect. + +I, a human chaos, a nebula of confused elements, I move amongst +finished worlds--peoples of complete laws and pure order, whose +thoughts are assorted, whose dreams are arranged, and whose visions +are enrolled and registered. + +Their virtues, O God, are measured, their sins are weighed, and +even the countless things that pass in the dim twilight of neither +sin nor virtue are recorded and catalogued. + +Here days and night are divided into seasons of conduct and governed +by rules of blameless accuracy. + +To eat, to drink, to sleep, to cover one's nudity, and then to be +weary in due time. + +To work, to play, to sing, to dance, and then to lie still when +the clock strikes the hour. + +To think thus, to feel thus much, and then to cease thinking and +feeling when a certain star rises above yonder horizon. + +To rob a neighbour with a smile, to bestow gifts with a graceful +wave of the hand, to praise prudently, to blame cautiously, to +destroy a sound with a word, to burn a body with a breath, and then +to wash the hands when the day's work is done. + +To love according to an established order, to entertain one's best +self in a preconceived manner, to worship the gods becomingly, +to intrigue the devils artfully--and then to forget all as though +memory were dead. + +To fancy with a motive, to contemplate with consideration, to be +happy sweetly, to suffer nobly--and then to empty the cup so that +tomorrow may fill it again. + +All these things, O God, are conceived with forethought, born with +determination, nursed with exactness, governed by rules, directed +by reason, and then slain and buried after a prescribed method. +And even their silent graves that lie within the human soul are +marked and numbered. + +It is a perfect world, a world of consummate excellence, a world of +supreme wonders, the ripest fruit in God's garden, the master-thought +of the universe. + +But why should I be here, O God, I a green seed of unfulfilled +passion, a mad tempest that seeketh neither east nor west, a +bewildered fragment from a burnt planet? + +Why am I here, O God of lost souls, thou who art lost amongst the gods? + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Madman, by Khalil Gibran + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MADMAN *** + +***** This file should be named 5616.txt or 5616.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/5/6/1/5616/ + +Produced by William Fishburne + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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