nine secret rhymes about oracles

[fledgist]

 i ask the oracle simply to define

the  honest truth with difficulty won

coming in second is as hard to do

but the green tree has given me the word

 

absent the factors that came in before

we find the knowledge built into the hive

but cannot tell just what there is to fix

our vision on this well-caught bit of heaven

 

so much of what we say is down to fate

but raise your chin and do not ever pine