Mysteries of the Forest

"Who will be the death of the forest? 

The day will come on which a forest, hitherto a womanizer, 

resolves to frequent only teetotal places of refreshment, 

walk only on tarred roads,

and consort only with Sunday afternoon strollers.  

He will live on pickled newspapers. 

Enfeebled by virtue, he will forget the bad habits of his youth.

He will become geometrical, conscientious,dutiful, grammatical,

judicial, pastoral, clerical, constructivistic and republican.  

He will become a schoolmaster. 

Will it turn out fine? Of course it will! 

For we are going diplomat hunting.  

Will the forest be praised for its good behavior? 

Not by me anyways" 

~Max Ernst "Les Mystères de la forêt”
published in Minotaure in 1934