ADVICE FROM AN OLD
TENNESSEE MOUNTAIN MAN
Your fences need to be
Horse-high, pig-tight
And bull-strong.
Keep skunks
And bankers
And lawyers
At a distance.
Life is simpler When you plow
Around the stump.
A bumble bee
Is considerably
Faster than
A John Deere tractor
Words that soak
Into your ears
Are whispered...
Not yelled.
Meanness
Don't jes'
Happen
Overnight.
Forgive your enemies
It messes up
Their heads.
Do not corner something
That you know is
Meaner than you.
It don't take
A very big person
To carry a grudge.
You cannot unsay A cruel,
Or unkind word.
Every path has
A few puddles.
When you wallow with pigs,
Expect to get dirty.
The best sermons
Are lived,
Not preached.
Most of the stuff
People worry about
Ain't never gonna
Happen anyway.
Don't judge folks
By their relatives.
Remember that silence
Is sometimes
The best answer.
Live a good,
Honorable life.
Then when you get older
And think back,
You'll enjoy it
A second time.
Don't interfere
With somethin'
That ain't botherin'
You none.
Timing has
A lot to do with
The outcome
Of a rain dance.
If you find yourself
In a hole,
The first thing to do
Is stop diggin'.
Sometimes you get,
And sometimes
You get got.
The biggest troublemaker
You'll probably ever
Have to deal with,
Watches you from
The mirror
Every mornin'.
Always drink
Upstream
From the herd.
Good judgment
Comes from
Experience,
And a lotta that
Comes from
Bad judgment.
Lettin' the cat
Outta the bag
Is a whole lot easier
Than puttin' it back in.
If you get to thinkin'
You're a person
Of some influence,
Try orderin'
Somebody else's
Dog around.
Live simply.
Love generously.
Care deeply.
Speak kindly.
Leave the rest
Up to God.
