-- The Best of All Possible Worlds --

John Herlihy

We have now seen the best of all possible worlds,

Seen through the eyes of wise leaders and sages.

We have now seen the worst of all possible worlds,

Down through the history and culture of the ages.

The blind lead those with sight, who could imagine;

The seeing now follow the blind, who could fathom.

As if we really no longer know where we want to go;

As if we really no longer know what we need to know.

I for one have withdrawn into totally private places;

Now found innerly, where I don’t meet any false faces.

We have our own wisdom, with our own inner rhythms;

The world visions we see flow through our own prisms.

The worst of all possible worlds may lie there externally;

The best of all possible worlds still lie content internally.

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(c) John Herlihy 29 April 2020