Sometimes, I’m inclined to think
That measures a man's civilization
By the number of buttons he presses
Must be a false criterion of the so-called
Civilized contentment. It’s true however
That the spirit of contentment is found
In both the literate and illiterate people,
For such is penetration of the way of life.

Being a guest of the faraway lands,
It may be seen in the lad who carries you
Up to the top of a downtown, or
It may be seen in the boat-tracker
Who pulls your boat up the rapids and who
Earns for his living a bare pittance
Beyond two simple but hearty meals a day.

A simple but hearty meal eaten
Without much worry
Is however a great deal of luck,
According to their theory of contentment,
For as an ancient sagely minded thinker
Has put it, "A well-filled stomach is indeed
A great thing: all else is simply luxury of lifestyle."