Pause.

A
man
standing on two logs in a river
might do all right floating with the current
while humming in the
now.

 

Though
if one log is tied to a camel,
who is also heading south along the bank – at the same pace-
all could still be well
with the
world

 

unless the camel
thinks he forgot something, and
abruptly turns upstream,
then

 

uh-oh.

 

Most minds
do not live in the present
and can stick to a reasonable plan; most minds abruptly turn
and undermine the

 

chance

 

of 

 

humming.

 

Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi. “The Chance of Humming.” From Love Poems From God by Daniel Ladinsky. 

 

“Sittin’ in the mornin’ sun

I’ll be sittin’ when the evenin’ comes

Watching the ships roll in

Then I watch ’em roll away again, yeah

 

I’m sittin’ on the dock of the bay

Watchin’ the tide roll away, ooh

I’m just sittin’ on the dock of the bay

Wastin’ time. . . “

 

Otis Redding. “Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay.”