Legomenon for the wayfarer OLD POET

The carefree spirit of {patteran} has long been ascribed to the odd figure known only as the Old Poet, and this ambling 'anecdote' provides a happy contrast to the consistently anxious, sometimes lugubrious mood of the other wanderers whose Writings appear in the Archives.

Some say he was a government official who lost his position and then decided that this was best not only for himself but for all concerned; others propose that he was one among the many vagabond scholars who roam the world during eras of political disarray, living by their wits alone.

However this may be, it is regrettable that more of his Writings have not been found — or that so many of us who read this one find ourselves unable to adopt (let alone maintain) his joyous approach to life.