-- My Quest for Wisdom --

John Herlihy

My quest for wisdom often makes its own demands;

My failure to achieve wisdom a source of reprimands.

We pretend to value all knowledge with great respect;

When wisdom slips thru our fingers, we only feel regret.

We know full well without knowledge we will be lost;

We could never do anything rightly without great cost.

We gather reams of knowledge knowing it isn’t enough,

Vast libraries across the world all filled with the right stuff.

Great world literatures, findings of science, ancient tomes,

All the wild emotions of humanity in which the heart roams.

What is the good of loving if it is based only on selfish desire?

What is the use of fame, success, happiness if there is no fire?

The ant builds a cavernous labyrinth, the bee an intimate hive;

Wisdom lies in their uncanny ability to have a goal and strive.

The bud opens at dawn but the bloom flourishes at midday;

Mother Nature whispers wisdom in all that she may convey.

Knowledge a vast repository documenting the known world;

But wisdom, ah wisdom, a hidden pearl of an unknown world.

Give me all the world’s knowledge and I will carry a heavy load;

Give me divine wisdom and I will discover the heavenly abode.

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(c) John Herlihy 21 May 2019