The Whole Thing

that one should
assume
the entirety of
a philosophy from
a single piece,
a single poem
a single story,
essay,
what have you,
is a mistake.

it is impossible to relate
such a thing in such space.
it is the body of work
that a writer
turns out
that encompasses the whole.

and the more of it that you
read
the closer you come to
understanding the whole of the
person,
and hopefully,
ultimately,
if they are good,
a little more of the world:
this: the cathedral that it builds.

though, the endeavor
is likewise the same for the author.
through his work
he endeavors the process of discovery.
and in neither case can the person be fully known:
this: the cathedral that it builds.