Guard your heart

This afternoon
on the bus
a girl sat beside me wearing
modest tattoos

one
on her wrist said
Proverbs 4:23
when I asked
what that was
she told me
it means
guard your heart
you know
like Solomon
or some other Simon says

Above all else,

guard your heart,

for it is the wellspring of life

I said
oh
ok
that's nice
what I meant
is that it's true
but I was more worried
about what bad experience
she had had
to make her feel
she needed
to give warning
with the passage
on her wrist
or whether she did it
because she wanted a tattoo
and wanted
to warm up her parents
to the idea
with a view
to getting more
perhaps a sleeve

or maybe something
more delicate
on the ankle

or a shoulder

but before

I got carried away

I remembered Proverbs 22:5

Thorns and snares are

in the way of the crooked;

whoever guards his soul will keep far

from them.

and then I wondered

how much

into the dark side

she really was

had she ever

recoiled

in horror

at the characterization

of womankind

in Ecclesiastes 7:26

I find more bitter than death the woman,

whose heart is snares and nets,

and her hands as bands:

whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her;

but the sinner shall be taken by her.

but perhaps

I overthink

and should just giggle

with her friend

who asked

what I wanted

to know

I don't think she had tattoos

but nor did I get the feeling

she desired Wisdom at any cost

but the two

of them were innocent

of malice aforethought

or untoward design

of any kind

I got off

at the next stop anyway

and reheased the lines

I learned

in Baptist Sunday School

McLaurin

or some other Scottish man:

Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction;

pay attention and gain understanding.

I give you sound learning,

so do not forsake my teaching.

For I too was a son to my father,

still tender, and cherished by my mother.

Then he taught me, and he said to me,

“Take hold of my words with all your heart;

keep my commands, and you will live.

Get wisdom, get understanding;

do not forget my words or turn away from them.

Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you;

love her, and she will watch over you.

The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom.

Though it cost all you have, get understanding.

Cherish her, and she will exalt you;

embrace her, and she will honor you.

She will give you a garland to grace your head

and present you with a glorious crown.”

Listen, my son, accept what I say,

and the years of your life will be many.

I instruct you in the way of wisdom

and lead you along straight paths.

When you walk, your steps will not be hampered;

when you run, you will not stumble.

Hold on to instruction, do not let it go;

guard it well, for it is your life.

Do not set foot on the path of the wicked

or walk in the way of evildoers.

Avoid it, do not travel on it;

turn from it and go on your way.

For they cannot rest until they do evil;

they are robbed of sleep till they make someone stumble.

They eat the bread of wickedness

and drink the wine of violence.

The path of the righteous is like the morning sun,

shining ever brighter till the full light of day.

But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness;

they do not know what makes them stumble.

My son, pay attention to what I say;

turn your ear to my words.

Do not let them out of your sight,

keep them within your heart;

for they are life to those who find them

and health to one’s whole body.

Above all else, guard your heart,

for everything you do flows from it.

Keep your mouth free of perversity;

keep corrupt talk far from your lips.

Let your eyes look straight ahead;

fix your gaze directly before you.

Give careful thought to the paths for your feet

and be steadfast in all your ways.

Do not turn to the right or the left;

keep your foot from evil.

but somehow

the resolutions

of some Synod

or of the General Assembly

of the Church

of Scotland

was not so important

as what I saw

of that girl's smile

when

I noticed

her tattoo

at all.