On Clothes

And the weaver said, Speak to us ofClothes.

And he answered:

Your clothes conceal much of yourbeauty, yet they hide not theunbeautiful.

And though you seek in garments thefreedom of privacy you may find in thema harness and a chain.

Would that you could meet the sun andthe wind with more of your skin and lessof your raiment,

For the breath of life is in thesunlight and the hand of life is in thewind.

Some of you say, “It is the north windwho has woven the clothes we wear.”

And I say, Ay, it was the north wind,

But shame was his loom, and thesoftening of the sinews was his thread.

And when his work was done he laughed inthe forest.

Forget not that modestyis for a shield against the eye of theunclean.

And when the unclean shall be no more,what were modesty but a fetter and afouling of the mind?

And forget not that the earth delightsto feel your bare feet and the windslong to play with your hair.