Keep It Down to One Fool at a Time

The hermit in his stone hut,
The anchorite in her shell,
Philosopher in a cell,

Are all exceptional, but
Typical humans as well,
For each, as one great fool wrote,

Would see wisely into all
Others other than themselves,
Which is a fault typical

Of people generally,
Not just of sages and saints.
That terrible truth may be

Why those withdraw from the world
Who can’t withdraw from themselves.