As many men build mighty towers,
the Buddha child shakes his head.
He grants no time to a tower so tall-
such a tall tower has too far to fall.

As men flee fast from falling hours,
the Buddha child will smile instead-
for like this tower, flat on the floor,
is any tower that falls no more.

We who stop and see the flowers
heed what the Buddha child said:
"From where do you take the fruit-
from the stem or from the root?

Short and sweet are earthly powers;
do not abandon your dreams unfed,
yet do not lose yourself in hunger-
for it cannot make you younger."