It's true what Newton said about the scale
of knowledge: even less, approaching nothing,
the more approximate; we never fail
to note, just when we have a grasp of something,
to nothing it fades, like sand poured on sand,
or the returning to the sea of rivers,
whose level stays unchanged; like gold is panned,
but then resolves into a common treasure.
Knowledge no sooner is acquired than
is flat, is nothing, our continued yearning
belies its claim to substance, and a man
though wise in book wisdom maintains his learning,
or falls behind; or say, that knowledge, step
by step, our blindness leads to light, to stop.
