Emerson's Page

His neighbors scratched
          stones from their land,
but Emerson with
          practiced hand

rifled their secrets
          as he read,
A stone is a granite
          book, he said.

Stones break plows
          hidden from sight
and farmers answer
          with dynamite.

But will by force
          is not the sun
to ripen truth,
          said Emerson,

a pine tree’s wisdom
          speaks in cones.
He went on reading
          brooks and stones.