In the land of the Island Kingdom
Mid Shinto temple and shrine
Where the lights of a thousand altars
To a thousand false gods shine
There is a carved an odd, quaint lesson
Wondrously cut in the wood
The three wise monkeys of Nikko
Who hear, see, speak, but the good
O’er the door of the sacred stable
They sit in their wisdom, the three
The little deaf monkey, the little dumb monkey
And the monkey who will not see
With eyes close shut to evil
Ear that hear only the right
And lips that are dumb to scandal
They sit in their silent might
In the land of the Island Kingdom
Mid Shinto temple and shrine
Comes again from our Eastern manger
A message of truth divine
Tho they bow their heads to Kwanen
When the lotus of Nikko nods
Yet this is the message they send us
From the land of the thousand gods

-Pauline Carrington Rust Bouve (1860-1928)-