THE MASTER

— Anonymous

For many years the student followed

the master without question or doubt

to wherever the master traveled

and looked to whatever the master pointed,

the mountains, the rivers, the flatlands,

the stars, the void between them

They came at last to a divide

going one way, another,

onward, never ending,

and the student found himself

suddenly alone

He turned to see where the master

had gone and saw only a tiny bent figure

disappearing many miles behind

The student traveled alone a while

without regard to time or place

until he felt the hand of a boy

slipping into his hand,

and began to wonder when

he too would come to a divide

going one way, another,

onward, never ending,

and for the first time

he felt afraid