Western intellectuals study their entire lives
To discover a tiny taste of the holy –
But usually come up dry.

Mostly, they spend years of hard labor
Learning to “count” –
Adding up “things” (sometimes the entire world)
(Or at least as much as they can swallow)
But this often ends up with them getting arrogant.

When one of them, one day, however, decides to become a mystic
She’ll have to start all over –
Not knowing whether to sit, stand, or crawl out the door.

When she first takes this direction
She’ll be timid –
Uncertain –
But that’s a good place to start.

Ultimately, she’ll take the risk of sticking her tongue out –
Believing God might grant her a taste of honey.

And that turns out to be true.

To others, she might look like a fool
With her tongue sticking out like that –
But no one else has been able to taste what she’s tasting –

It isn’t much –
But it’s everything any fool could ever want.