Two things happened. I received, as i regularly do, a reading from the Bible Job 28:1 (There are mines where silver is dug; There are places where gold is refined. 2 We dig iron out of the ground And melt copper out of the stones) and found the imagery wonderful and truly quite awesome. Then a day or two later I read about the Onegin Stanza also called a Pushkin Sonnet.  With these two influences buzzing around in my head I have created the following piece with two Onegin stanzas ending in a set.

I hope it works for you, although I think a modern free verse attempt may have captured the grandiose emotions a bit better. Perhaps another day.

There are mines where silver is dug, and found

Places where our gold is refin’d

We dig for iron right out of the ground

And stones we melt for copper to find

Deep into the darkness we delve, we delve

Deep into the darkness we delve.

Far, far away from all human life

We sink shafts in mines through trouble and strife

Seeking sapphires and all precious stones

Digging and mining and living alone.

But verily I say, I say unto you

Wisdom’s not to be found, down below

Where on earth can we learn to understand?

Neither deep in the ocean nor in the sand.

 

Wisdom is not to be found among mortals

Nor is it gained by walking thru portals

Plumb the depths of the oceans, dive in the sea

Wisdom’s not there, not for you nor for me.

It cannot be bought for silver or gold

And, as it says, in the Good Book of old

Wisdom’s more precious than topaz or rubies

More valued than gold and even maybe

Corals and pearls and silver are worth

Nothing in the face of wisdom on earth

Where then can we find that wisdom sublime?

Only God knows the way and He knows the time

The source of that wisdom to understand

Is granted to us through the Son of Man.

 

He sees all that lives and moves under the sky

He knows all the reasons He answers the ‘why’

Gives the wind its power, directs the rainfall

And where the paths of thunderclouds should fall

The way to wisdom is easy, and simple

Revere the good lord and abhor evil.