This is the last segment of “City Secundus,” Song 10 of The One. Our main character certainly has his eyes opened with the back-to-back experiences in and around this second city.
More than any segment so far, this one exposes the MC to deep philosophical concerns. Can these be received, if not understood, or can they be grasped? Does the MC even seem old enough to entertain such concepts? Judge for yourself and form your own opinions.
Ratcliff reappears, but now in a much-altered form. It is she who delivers the philosophical tenets. None of the parties move much in this segment; it is a time of quiet dialogue and revelations. This segment carries the weight of what may be truth, yet that remains a discovery for each person. See what you think.
Then I noticed a sick and crippled man
to the west, the place of promised sunset
where someone – everyone – would one day lie
The western man had crutches at his side
deep oozing sores on his face, legs and arms
his labored breath short, rasping, and faltering
As I considered life, birth, death – all three
Shocked, I saw then one more indignity
brutal sicknesses in a legion of forms
as these frightening thoughts coursed through my mind
a shadow crossed the courtyard from behind
Startled, I quickly hid within the crowd
watched the mysterious, black shade approach
the sick man and then the shade threw its cloak
over the right shoulder, bow, put both hands
together in humble salutation
and from a white basket the figure took
food and drink, and laid them beside the man
who reached and accepted the shadow’s gift
Then the dark one squatted beside the man
“Eat what’s here. Feed your body, if you can”
I know that voice, I realized just then
With that, I rose and walked across the square
Approaching, I spoke low, “Ratcliff, hello.”
She rose, turned on her heel, inhaled a breath
“Oh!” she said and clapped her hand on her mouth
“What are you doing here so late this night?”
“Just thinking about birth, death, and sickness.
I could ask the same thing of you, Ratcliff,
but I see you have an errand just now.”
The sick one said, “She alone is kindly.”
“It’s mostly true,” said Ratcliff quietly
“He’s my cousin, we were born together
When we were children, we played most our days
far north of here with kin and family.”
“I’m from the north country, too,” I jabbered
excited by this, but still despising
that north place I came from, now far distant
“Really,” Ratcliff smiled. “It just might be then
we three are cousins – so ‘tis in small towns”
The seated sick man smiled up weakly then
All thought on this silently for a time
Ratcliff and I sat down with the cousin
each of us shaded in the falling light
Ratcliff was the first to speak up again
“So, it’s life, death, and sickness you’re judging
Such great matters for one just passing youth
These three facts of all our lives hold most true
but why come such concepts to one as you?
From what I see you’re a journey in spring
fit, if scruffy, ready for times ahead”
Argose had been snoozing while we sat there
Then he softly g-ruffed and returned to dreams
“Before today, I did not comprehend
the meaning of old age, sickness, and death
much less the life to live in between them
Then in a space of hours, I encounter
each of these. How can this be? I see now
as if I’m looking down from a tower”
Ratcliff exhales a long, sad sigh and rests
her head on her knees, swaying it side to side
“Living means perpetually aging
and nearby, assured sickness of the flesh
then whether good or evil, certain death”
The other ones agreed with their silence
Some time passed as Ratcliff again pressed palms
and placed her fingertips to her forehead
“Yes, not only you. All else is subject
to the three conditions of our living
Goats, pigs, and horses, all men and women
naturally, each one comes forth in birth
Aging, too, forever at our shoulders
as you said – all and everyone is so
And what may be said of death, close to life?
All that is born bears the three conditions
arrivals always end in departures
unsatisfactoriness pervades life
birth, old age, sickness, death are certainties
Walk with care. Things fall apart,” said Ratcliff
“Everything departs.”
“Yes,” said the cousin. “Once I had your youth
and beauty – but no more. This is the way
of each and all that live
These things are faded though I am the same”
“What can you mean?” I asked. “Your form’s ravaged.”
“No matter how destroyed, I cling to life.”
I wonder how such a life’s still desired.
“I see your thoughts. You can’t think it is so
but imagine that suddenly you’re blind,
or lost two limbs or have wasting disease
Would you choose death in exchange for your life?
I stayed silent. I had no answer then
For a space, we three were silent listening
to one another’s precious living breath
Then Ratcliff stood and she spoke words that stayed
“Some say life is meaningless repetition
that one reacts as one is conditioned
Sadly, this is true for most everyone
yet being so is not the only choice
Refuge from such a life does exists here.”
I cut in. “With the three life conditions
can it truly be so?” I wonder now.
“It is called the noble search,” said Ratcliff
“Just now, you’re shocked, anxious, in a hurry
for answers and more so for quick relief
Few gain perfect insight in an instant
The path lies in a search for consolation
relief from the conditions considered
But consolation is a lie – in time
the truth of suffering becomes quite clear
Make of yourself an island, unattached,
at peace and free from reactivity.”
Ratcliff stopped, another exhale, and waited
“This is impossible,” I objected
“Where is the finish of this noble search?
How do I place a first foot on this path?”
The sick man stood on his crutches, and said,
“Even though infirm and poor, this cousin brings
each night to me food for my survival
I can’t walk, yet, I’ve set my feet upon
this path – just so, each of us finds our road
Each of us must seek and find our own way
on this road to refuge.”
“I feel alone with this path. Is there help?
someone to show this noble search to me”
Ratcliff and her cousin looked and locked eyes
“There is someone who assists true, pure hearts
but he’s not close and the way is troubled
He may teach you the sorrows of this life
its pains and joys, weariness and power
He is one who unbinds these mysteries”
All this and more these two strangers unwound
that night, kindly and with care and goodness
Yet, after all that apparent wisdom
here I am heading southerly again
I do not believe them. I’m not willing
to take the chance of following strangers’ tales
So, now I leave the nine-gated city
Just before departure, I provision
for myself and the honorable canine,
Argose, who has jumped into the red boat
when he sees me about to weigh anchor
away from this second, nine-gated city
away from the talk of noble searches
away from paths that will surely fail
I’d rather find and ride a Dragon’s tail
Background
All of us face the three great sufferings – old age, sickness, and death – if we live long enough. Even in birth, suffering dogs most creatures. We struggle for breath, we are forced out of a womb of comfort where our needs are met into a world where breath is usually easy, but much of living is not.
Ratcliff appears to have turned wise sage – another teacher for the MC. She is almost transformed from the last time we encountered her wherein she was empathetic, kind, and lively, but she did not exhibit this depth of wisdom. Wisdom comes to one in many forms, and often unexpectedly.
As you will have guessed, much of the MC’s search and journey mirror my own. I didn’t have a red boat, but I walked some miles on several paths, and had more than a few teachers. Later in life, I my way unfolded, built on the back of decades of curiosity and inquiry. Not to say everything became easy after that. Hardly! But at least I garnered some understanding of the way things actually are.
This segment definitely portrays a “teaching moment.” Perhaps you found it a bit heavy-handed. Perhaps I should rely more on a narrative than on philosophical dialogue. No matter.
Exploration 1: Three sentences into this segment, the verb tense changes. What reason(s) could be operative reasons for doing this?
Exploration 2: When the dark figure enters the scene at the beginning of this segment, who or what did you suspect it was?
Exploration 3: Do you find the MC’s experiences contrived in this sentence, or alternatively, do you feel them as genuine?
Exploration 4: What is your reaction to the philosophical discussions in this segment, especially as spoken by Ratcliff?
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