'Twas A Water Buffalo

'Twas a water buffalo no horse
that Lao Tzu rode across the plains
Bubalus bubalis 'twas of course
ten thousand silken threads for reins

Tell me said the wanderer to the moon
how it came to pass that Lao Tzu's mother
carried him sixty two years in her womb
till she could go not one step further

How she leaned against a plum tree
and out came the philosopher fully made
whisky-face, long ears and wild goatee
swinging his necklace of single twist jade

The moon leaned down to reply
but out of the east a dragon cloud came
and devoured the earth, the moon, the sky
swallowed the wanderer and his name