The Tide

By now you should know
It's a wave and you must learn to ride it
Fly with it when it is high
Stay with it when it is low
No one can change the whims of the sea
If you dare resist when it is wild
Then you will suffer its cruel rage
And be drowned in its overpowering flow
If you are revelling in the comfort of its calm
You should remember that it will soon change
Only that much is given for us to know
That constancy is not its salient nature
Wise is he who fashions his life
along the dictates of its will
Laying low when it draws the veil
Reaping the harvest when it shines
And foolish the one who attempts
To tame its capricious temper
Letting the frustration of past losses
Taint the enjoyment of present gains
Wasting his entire life on a futile task