The Wise Man and the Oracle

The wise man wandered through a vast desert
And was searching for the Oracle of Ammon;
He heard Alexander had been there, and wished
To hear the vast wisdom of her cherished thoughts.

He finally arrived, and asked the Oracle:

"Tell me about the arts."

The Oracle laughed and said,

"The arts? Be in time, and if the sewer is where
"Do not seek to clean it.
"For down the debacle does the slough flow
"And into the river, where there will be none.
"And when purified, all will be made new."

The wise man furrowed his brow.

"What of my wisdom?"

The Oracle said,

"Wisdom goes in its cycles.
"What makes a man prosperous is honor in one era
"And what makes a man profitable is deceit in another.
"Be in the times. Do not burden yourself with the past
"And think not about the future.
"Rather, know ony the present."

The wise man said,

"What of my body?"

The Oracles said,

"Health, wealth and power are the gods of one generation
"Amity, friendship and pleasure another.
"It goes its ways, in cycles,
"Men are fit with pleasure, and the next generation squanders it."

The wise man said,

"What of religion?"

The oracle said, 

"Religion is whatever the times decree.
"In one era, it focuses on war and wealth
"And another it focuses on peace and health.
"Both are contained in every scripture
"But man must choose his path."

The wise man said,

"What of sex?"

The oracle said,

"In one era, nothing is known about it.
"Not even the marriage bed is their pleasure.
"The affaires are only social,
"And nudity is never known.
"In another, the very point of pleasure is sought by all
"And marriage is forgotten.
"There can be no affaires, for all are mates
"And nudity is seen in the public square."

The wise man said,

"What of pleasure?

The oracle said,

"Pleasure is like a wheel:
"There is pleasure in work
"There is work in pleasure
"There is no pleasure in work
"There is no work in pleasure.
"Thus, it goes in its wheel."

The wise man said,

"I have studied the sages,
"What of the Sophists?"

The oracle said,

"Science is forgotten, and science is then known.
"It leads to suffering when science is unknown
"But it leads to suffering when science is too well known.
"For where science is too well known, it ceases, for all disappears within the gaps.
"Where science is unknown, it never is."

The wise man said,

"What of economics?"

The oracle said,

"Let a man eat from what he earns, and lay no barrier to him.
"Do not slander his business, for he may be a grandmaster
"In penury, and all mock him because of public debate.
"Let men do their business, and do not hinder them.
"Grow the fruit tree at every hecter.
"Do not scorn the arts or sciences or law or freedom.
"For economics is the vehicle of a people's happiness."