THE LAW OF THE LAND - A story only

IT WAS A TIMES

TIMES

AND HALF A TIMES

THE MAN RETURNED TO THE BIG CITY


WHEN HE WAS AWAY

HOW HE SPENT HIS TIME

NOBODY KNEW

NOBODY WANTED TO KNOW

LIKE STORIES ONLY SHOW PARTS WORTH SHOWING


YET THROUGH THE NORTH GATE HE WALKED

AND WHEN HE WALKED THROUGH

THE STALLS ON THE LEFT

THE STALLS ON THE RIGHT

STOPPED SELLING

THE PEOPLE IN THE STREET

STOPPED BUYING

THE DIN OF THE STREET

BECAME QUIET


THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE MAN

BECAME LOUD

BECAUSE THE STALLS NEAR THE GATE

BECAUSE THE PEOPLE NEAR THE STALLS

BECAME QUIET

THOSE BEYOND THEM WONDERED SILENTLY

WHY SILENCE CAME ACCUSING FROM THE NORTH


SILENCE CAME ACCUSING

AS THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE MAN BECAME

LOUDER AND LOUDER

WHY ARE YOU BUYING

WHY ARE YOU SELLING

ARE YOU MARKED AS I AM

THAT YOU CAN BUY AND SELL


HIS MOUTH DID NOT SAY THIS

ONLY THE NOISE OF HIS FEET SAID THIS

FOR AMONGST THE STILLNESS OF THE STREET

ONE NOISE IS AS THUNDER

THIS IS TO INDICATE

HOW THE WITNESS OF A FEW

BECOMES THE WITNESS OF MANY


NOT ONLY HIS FEET SPOKE

BUT HAD THE MAN STOPPED AND STOOD

HIS BACK WOULD SPEAK TO ALL IN FRONT

EVEN AS IT WAS FACING THE STEPS HE HAD WALKED

AND THOSE BEHIND HIM


FOR THOSE BEHIND HIM WERE LOOKING ALSO

AS MUCH AS THOSE IN FRONT OF HIM

HE WAS THE EYES OF ALL

FOR ALL THE EYES WERE ON HIM

HE WAS THE VOICE OF ALL

FOR ALL THE EARS WERE WITH HIM


HE WAS THE LAW OF THE LAND

BECAUSE ALL THE LAND WAS BELOW HIM

HE WAS THE WIND BREAKING FORTH

FOR ALL THE WIND HELD ITS BREATH

AS ALL THE PEOPLE HELD THEIR TONGUES


TO THE MIDDLE OF THE SQUARE

THE SQUARE THAT STOOD IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CITY

THE MAN STOOD IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SQUARE

TIME WAS HIS

AND HE WAS TIME


FOR MINUTES HE STOOD

FOR YEARS HE WAS SEEN

FOR MINUTES HE BEHELD THE STREET

IN FRONT OF HIM

ALL WAS IN FRONT OF HIM

FOR HE WAS IN THE LIGHT

AND THE LIGHT WAS IN HIM


HE DID NOT LOOK DOWN ON HIMSELF

HE DID NOT LOOK UP ON HIMSELF

WHAT WAS UP CAME DOWN

WHAT WAS DOWN CAME UP


THE SPIRIT WAS HIS WITNESS

AND THE WITNESS WAS HIS SPIRIT

HE STOOD IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SQUARE

HE WAS THE MIDDLE OF THE SQUARE

AND THEN

HE OPENED HIS MOUTH TO SPEAK


HE SAID

"THERE WAS A MARKET IN THE BIG CITY

THE MARKET WAS ONE LONG STREET

THAT WENT FROM ONE END OF THE CITY TO THE OTHER

PEOPLE SOLD ON THE LEFT OF THE STREET

PEOPLE SOLD ON THE RIGHT OF THE STREET


THE BUYERS WERE THE SELLERS

AND THE SELLERS WERE THE BUYERS

WHAT THEY SOLD WAS WORDS

WHAT THEY BOUGHT WAS WORDS


THE STREET HAS NO NAME

IF IT HAD A NAME

THE NAME WOULD BE

"THE STREET OF WORDS BOUGHT AND SOLD"


A NEW MERCHANT CAME TO THE MARKET

UNLIKE THE OTHER MERCHANTS

HE SET UP A STALL ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE STREET

AND A STALL ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE STREET


THE STALLS WERE IN VIEW OF EACH OTHER

SO THAT WHEN A PATRON CAME

HE COULD SHOUT OVER THE DIN OF THE STREET

HE WOULD ALSO GO TO THE OTHER STALLS

AND BUY WHAT THEY HAD


YET BEFORE HE RETURNED TO HIS OWN STALLS

HE WOULD SPIT IT OUT

LIKE A MAN AT THE DINNER TABLE

WHO PRETENDS TO EAT

YET FEEDS TO THE DOGS UNDERNEATH


WHEN THE CLOCK STRUCK A CERTAIN HOUR

AN HOUR NOT PLANNED

LIKE A FOOT THAT TAPS

WHEN IT IS READY TO WALK

WHEN THE CLOCK STRUCK THIS HOUR


THE MAN CLOSED DOWN BOTH HIS STALLS

NOBODY PAID NOTICE

BECAUSE WHEN ONE STALL CLOSES

ANOTHER MERCHANT IS SOON TO FILL THE SPACE


THE MAN LEFT THE CITY

NO TRACE OF THE MAN WAS LEFT

WHATEVER HE SOLD WAS BURIED

WITH OLD WORDS BOUGHT AGAIN

AND NEW WORDS SOLD AGAIN


THE DAYS MARCHED ON

ONE TWO AND THREE

THE NIGHTS LINGERED

ONE TWO AND

STALLS OPENED, STALLS CLOSED

PEOPLE BOUGHT WORDS

PEOPLE SOLD WORDS"


AFTER HE SPOKE THOSE WORDS

THE PEOPLE THOUGHT TO THEMSELVES

'WHAT IS HE SPEAKING ABOUT?

I SELL POTS AND PANS

I BUY SHIRTS AND SHEETS'


THEN A VOICE CAME FROM UPON HIGH

THIS VOICE SAID

"I HEARD THE WORDS"

WITH EVERY DROP OF RAIN

IT SAID

"I HEARD THE WORDS"

WITH EVERY DROP OF RAIN

IT SAID

"I HEARD THE WORDS"

WITH EVERY DROP OF RAIN

IT SAID

"I HEARD THE WORDS"


(TO BE CONTINUED)

THE RAIN CAME DOWN FOR THREE DAYS.

SHOPS ON THE LEFT WERE CLOSED.

SHOPS ON THE RIGHT WERE CLOSED.

IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SQUARE WAS A RAISED PLATFORM.

THERE THE MAN RETURNED AND RAISED HIS TENT.

THE BUYERS AND SELLERS GNASHED THEIR TEETH.

BECAUSE THERE WERE NO OTHER SHOPS TO BUY AND SELL.

THEY HAD TO ENDURE ONLY ONE PRODUCT.

THIS PRODUCT WAS OF GOLD AND SILVER REFINED.

IT WAS ONE LAMP BUT THE LAMP RESEMBLED TWO HANDLES.

THUS THE LAMP HAD ONE PLACE FOR THE OIL AND ONE PLACE TO POUR.

THE LAMP COULD BE BOUGHT BUT ONCE BOUGHT IT COULD NOT BE SOLD.

NOBODY WOULD BUY A LAMP ALREADY BOUGHT BECAUSE NOBODY WOULD SELL WHAT THEY HAD ONCE BOUGHT.

THE LAMP WAS BOUGHT BY FEW BUT ALL THOSE WHO BOUGHT IT MADE IT THEIR ONE AND ONLY TREASURE.

THE LAMP CAME AS A WITNESS TO ALL BUT FEW BECAME A WITNESS TO THE LAMP.

AFTER THE RAIN HAD CAME ENOUGH TO FILL MULTITUDES OF LAMPS THE SKY SHUT ITSELF.

THE SKY SHUT ITSELF SO THAT THE RIVER STOPPED FLOWING.

THE RIVER STOPPED FLOWING AND NOBODY COULD FILL THEIR LAMPS.

THEN CAME RAIN LIKE NONE HAD EVER SEEN NOR EVER WITNESSED.

THE RAIN WAS THE FIRE OF YESTERDAY, TODAY, AND TOMORROW.

IT WAS A RAIN ONCE SEEN, NOW NOT, YET WILL BE.

IT WAS A FIRE ONCE LIT, NOT BURNING, YET WILL FOREVER BURN.

THIS IS WHAT THE FIRE SAID:

"UNLESS YOU KILL WHAT YOU ARE, WHAT YOU ARE WILL KILL YOU.

UNLESS YOU FORGET WHO YOU ARE, YOU WILL NEVER BE.

WHOEVER YOU ARE CALLED, THAT IS YOUR GRAVE STONE WRITTEN.

WHOEVER YOU HOLD TO, THOSE WHO YOU HOLD TO WILL HOLD TO YOU.

WHOEVER YOU CALL FATHER OR MOTHER, IS A FATHER OR MOTHER THAT YOU HAVE NOT YET MET.

WHOEVER YOU CALL WIFE OR HUSBAND, IS A WIFE OR HUSBAND YOU ARE YET TO MARRY.

UNLESS YOU ARE BORN AGAIN IN THIS LIFE, YOUR BODY WILL BE TAKEN FROM YOU AND YOU WILL BE BORN AGAIN IN ANOTHER.

OLD FURNISHINGS DO NOT FIT WELL INTO A NEW HOUSE WITH NEW FURNISHINGS.

PEOPLE IN OLD HOUSES TALK ABOUT OLD FURNISHINGS, THEY CAN ONLY INVITE YOU TO SIT IN THE SAME CHAIR AS THEY ALSO SIT.

WHOEVER IS MOVING INTO THE NEW HOUSE, THERE IS PEOPLE IN OLD HOUSES INVITING THEM BACK.

YET THOSE IN THE OLD HOUSE, WILL NOT ACCEPT AN INVITATION FOR THOSE MOVING INTO THE NEW HOUSE TO COME INTO THE NEW.

LISTEN VERY CLOSELY.

A OLD HOUSE IS NOT AN OLD HOUSE WITHOUT THE OLD FURNISHINGS IN IT.

A NEW HOUSE IS NOT A NEW HOUSE WITHOUT THE NEW FURNISHINGS IN IT.

WHEREVER THE FURNITURE IS, THERE THE HOUSE WILL BE.

WHOEVER CANNOT PART FROM THEIR OLD FURNITURE, WILL GO BACK INTO THE OLD HOUSE.

THE NEW HOUSE HAS MANY ROOMS. EACH ROOM HAS A NEW CHAIR. EACH CHAIR HAS A NEW NAME.

INSIDE THE NEW HOUSE IS A NEW LAMP.

THE NEW LAMP SHINES WITHIN THE NEW HOUSE.

A NEW LAMP CANNOT GO INTO AN OLD HOUSE.

IT SHINES FROM THE NEW HOUSE INTO THE WINDOW OF THE OLD HOUSE.

WHOEVER SEES THE NEW LAMP SHINE INTO THE WINDOW OF THE OLD HOUSE WILL COME INTO THE NEW.

WHOEVER COMES INTO THE NEW HOUSE WILL RECEIVE THEIR OWN LAMP TO SHINE UPON THEIR NEW CHAIR.

WHOEVER HAS ROOM FOR THE CHAIR, HAS ROOM FOR THE LAMP ALSO.

WHOEVER IS IN THE OLD HOUSE LOOKING OUTSIDE THEIR WINDOW, WILL SEE THE LAMP SHINING IN THE NEW HOUSE.

WHOEVER DOES NOT SEE THE NEW LAMP SHINING IN THE NEW HOUSE, WILL BE IN THE WINE CELLAR DRINKING THE OLD WINE.

WHOEVER IS WITNESS TO WHAT IS OUTSIDE THE WINDOW, WILL BE WITNESS TO WHAT IS ABOVE THE HOUSE.

WHAT IS ABOVE THE HOUSE, WILL BE WITNESS AS TO THE HOUSE BELOW.

WHAT IS ABOVE THE HOUSE, IS A LAMP THAT RISES FIRST, AND FALLS LAST.

WHOEVER CAN WITNESS TO THIS LAMP ABOVE THE OLD HOUSE THAT WILL BECOME NEW, IS MAKING WITNESS TO THE ONE WHO IS ALSO BELOW.

WHOEVER MAKES WITNESS TO THE ONE BELOW, WILL ALSO WITNESS THE LAMP OUTSIDE THE HOUSE.

THE LAMP BELONGS TO THE MAN WHO OWNS THE SHOP.

THE MAN WHO OWNS THE SHOP WILL SELL YOU YOUR OWN LAMP FOR WHICH YOU CAN ALSO MAKE WITNESS.

WHOEVER CAN WITNESS THE LAMP THAT RISES FIRST, SO TOO WILL THEY STAND IN ACCUSATION TO THE LAMPS ALREADY IN PLACE.

WHOEVER COMES TO COVER UP THE FOR SALE SIGN, IN FRONT OF THE SHOP, ALREADY HAS THEIR LAMP IN PLACE.

THEIR LAMP WILL BE TAKEN AWAY.

WHOEVER HAS A LAMP IN PLACE, WILL HAVE IT COVERED.

WHOEVER HAS A LAMP CONCEALED, WILL SHINE BRIGHTLY.

BECAUSE MANY LAMPS WILL SHINE ABOVE THE OLD HOUSE, MANY IN THE OLD HOUSE WILL BECOME UNEASY.

WHOEVER WITNESSES THE SIGN, THAT SAYS "FOR SALE"

WILL COME TO BUY.

WHOEVER COMES TO BUY.

HAS BOUGHT ALREADY.

FOR UNLESS THEY KNEW THE LAMP ONCE.

THEY WOULD NEVER WITNESS THE SAME LAMP AGAIN."



WHEN THE FIRE FINISHED RAINING. AND THE RAIN FINISHED BURNING.

THE MAN CLOSED HIS SHOP.

THE MAN CLOSED HIS SHOP FOR HE OPENED HIS SHOP TO SELL ONLY A LIMITED AMOUNT OF LAMPS.

NEVER AGAIN THE MAN OPENED HIS SHOP.

HE LEFT THE CITY.

SHOPS OPENED AGAIN.

SHOPS ON THE LEFT. SHOPS ON THE RIGHT.

WORDS WERE BOUGHT. WORDS WERE SOLD.

WHOEVER BOUGHT A LAMP WAS SILENT.

THE BEGINNING WAS SOLD.

THE END WAS BOUGHT.