Thread by @jcsbimp

1. Yarrapin the Terrapin
Had heard of the tale
Of poor cousin Yertle
And how he did fail.

2. Yarrapin saw clearly
How Yertle's ambition
Had ended in shame
For him and his mission.

3. This cousin of Yertle
Had no such great aim,
For Yarrapin wanted
Neither throne, nor its fame.

4. "The proud, they all fall,"
Said Yarrapin, sighing.
"I just want to see
Through deception, through lying."

5. He knew that a shell
Was a great place to hide,
But that life and its lessons
Existed OUTSIDE.

6.He also knew, sadly,
That knowledge had cost.
Perhaps once all had it,
But that day was lost.

7. "If we'd all been smarter
When my cousin Yertle
Had ordered his tower
Of his fellow turtles,

8. "They might have resisted!
They might have fought back.
But what is the knowledge,
The wisdom we lack?"

9. So Yarrapin set out
To find from his mates
The knowledge to free them
From ignorant states.

10. "I want us all wiser
Than ever before!"
Said Yarrapin, asking
At his teacher's door.

11. "When Yertle for rule
His brothers was stacking,
It was for dominion,
And they sent him packing!

12. "But now what I want,
What I dearly aspire
Is to learn what we need
For us all to rise higher!"

13. His teacher did nod,
Albeit quite sadly,
Touched Yarrapin's face,
And said "You do badly.

14. "You come to me seeking
Advice what to do.
That knowledge lives only
With a powerful few.

15. "You cannot afford it,
Howe'er you beseech.
It always is priced
Just out of your reach.

16. "That's true for me also,"
Said Yarrapin's teacher,
"And for everyone but
Some more privileged creature.

17. "... I have only wisdom."
Said Yarrapin, "What?"
"Stop seeking transcendence.
Make peace with your lot."

18. Then Yarrapin left,
No more wise than before,
And so sad he neglected
To close Teacher's door!

19. His quest to see more
Landed in the same mud.
No one's giving out wisdom.
It's too rich for their blood.

20. The moral is this,
Though not very regal:
When knowledge brings change,
Its possession's illegal.

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