Liber Saturni - Chapter 73

Verses

Verse 65

I am old enough that strangers have begun calling ordinary things wisdom when I say them slowly.

Verse 66

This is dangerous.

Verse 67

Age grants evidence, not infallibility.

Verse 68

I have survived choices I would advise against.

Verse 69

I have also survived advice I should have ignored.

Verse 70

Saturn is said to belong to old men. The planet did not request us.

Verse 71

What age truly gives is subtraction.

Verse 72

Fewer future selves compete for attention.

Verse 73

Some friends are dead.

Verse 74

Some enemies became irrelevant without the courtesy of defeat.

Verse 75

The body sends memos in increasingly large type.

Verse 76

I meditate less heroically now.

Verse 77

Some mornings enlightenment is taking the pills before coffee.

Verse 78

I no longer want eternity as much as I once wanted an explanation.

Verse 79

A finite afternoon can be complete.

Verse 80

The cat on my windowsill is not troubled by metaphysics and has outlived two of my systems.

Verse 81

I respect this.

Verse 82

If consciousness is Brahman, it does not need my endorsement.

Verse 83

If there is no Brahman, the tea still cools.

Verse 84

I have spent years trying to solve existence and little time noticing it was happening during the attempt.

Verse 85

That is my only sermon worth keeping.

Verse 86

Notice before naming.

Verse 87

Love before memorializing.

Verse 88

Repair what can be repaired.

Verse 89

Apologize before philosophy makes the delay sound noble.

Verse 90

Keep a little money aside.

Verse 91

Do not confuse despair with depth.

Verse 92

Do not confuse optimism with stupidity either.

Verse 93

At the last gate I intend to bring no password.

Verse 94

If there is a guard, he may explain himself to me.

Verse 95

If there is nothing, nothing will have no complaint.

Verse 96

Until then, the evening is clear.

Verse 97

Saturn is visible.

Verse 98

I have seen enough to look once more.