Philosophical Disappointment Poem by Adilson Pinto

When, but say me: when will I acquire
Enough knowledge about me, about life?
When will I be able to say - I am a sage man,
You may question me about the things
And I will answer you right now - when?

I have been living as a passionate student
My sponsors and inspirators are the wise men
From all the countries where they lived:
Philosophers, mystics, religious, scientists:
I was with them since my boyhood through their books...

Yes, I have been living as an interested man
And not only from the sages I have been aquiring
Knowledge, but life itself has been my master:
Through the pains I have been learning
The art of living as a man must do!

But you see my friend, you, poet or poetess
Like Socrates I have to say too that everything
That I know is- I don't know anything!
The more I learn the more life laugh at me
And there is no oracle to say: You, poet, are Sage!

Then I go ahead with my humble life,
Humble disciple, with humble knowledge,
And I deeply regret that I surely will die
without being like these famous men - the sages!
I have to be happy of being what I am!