The Stony Gods


As the gods grew older, they each held onto their own wrists
 or sat on the horizon, their chins resting on their knees,
their arms wound around their legs or crossed over their
 chests. Before, they walked arm in arm, sometimes four abreast.  
Now they touched only themselves.

One day a boulder tumbled from the side of a mountain
 and came to rest in the center of the circle of gods.  
Awakened from their reverie, they came, one by one,
to where the boulder was and  touched it.

Why is it that we touch a stone but not one another?  asked a god.

Because,  said a second god, stones ask nothing in return.

And why do we touch only ourselves?  

Because, like stones, we ask nothing of ourselves. 

And why do we ask nothing of ourselves?  

Perhaps because we have nothing to give.

 Nonsense,  said the eldest god,This stone has no life. 
Even so it has given to us. 

And that is why only by touching others do we touch ourselves.

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