[ARTS]: Big and Little Poetry--free verse, any verse.

[Meishin]

An eastern screech owl
sits zazen
in a branch outside this window.

She is a small mountain
we walk beneath.

The tree holds her gently and securely.
High winds don't seem to bother anyone.

Gassho
Meishin
Sat Today LAH

[Tai Shi]

Today my leg--knee itches
For the first time
Sign of oncoming muscles
I make arrangements
For exercise, free two months
At hospital gym.
I will find something
Of upper body there,
Then back to senior center
Supervised exercise rooms
Thankfully I volunteer there.

Tai Shi
Gassho
sat today/lah

[Tai Shi]

It's morning 7:14
Wondering why comes so late

Why our Zendo gives no poems
We sit in unconventionality

Nothing of other poems
In our online Zendo, please

Please write with heart, or
Mindfulness, ours is a silent

Zendo Shikantaza sit 5 minutes
Or 10, or 20, or 35, or 60,

No limit or expectation, into no
No expectation into nothing

Let us rise, gaining into nothing
Rise to poems or mental exercises with body

Silent half days from 2:37 a.m. rise from sleep
Poems for ALL, all may come to write Zen

Buddha nature into silent moods, comfort
Requiem Agnus Daie

May we understand each other in spite of death
We write with pens of pain no sorrow, nothing

No mouth, mouth, no pencil, pencil, let go
Write for mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, Zendo,

More, all may come here, no restriction, all
May come, bring any mindfulness, bring any soul

Bring your sorrow, bring your pain or celebration
All are welcomed with joy returning as to father

Son, into open arms, caring for those by roadside
Those left to die, our responsibility, our middle way.

Tai Shi
sat this morning
Gassho, deep bows to all our Zendo
Come and write most anything.

[Billy]

The candle’s flame,
Once new and bright,
Diminished over time,
The wick grew smaller,
As it cut,
deeper into the center,
The flame is now small,
The light is now fainter,
And flickers quietly,
On the last piece of wax.
If I were to grab it,
It would burn me,
Just the same.


Gassho,
SatToday,
Billy

[Mitka]

the crimson sun sets
beneath a dying world


I continue my meditation

[Mitka]

An allosaurus roars.
The herd of stegosaurus stampedes.
This too, is Buddha.

[Getchi]

Once, I wounded,
Yet still I think.

When I was young,
it was a fantasy.
now I'm here,
She with me.

A great tragedy is all
I see.
Sitting,
Sitting,


I sat.
I wait.



Gravity itself drives me forward.
Towards........
What?.



Once I cast a spell,
To remember, or
something, I forget.



A sunbeam.
A flower.

This minute.
This hour.



Gonzo makes what Gonzo gets.




Yet still,
Something....




must be said

[Tairin]

Rushing, rushing
No place to go

[Mitka]

It's You vs. You.
How?
I am one, not two.

[Mitka]

I am unborn
I am undead
I am immortal
I am invulnerable

I was born
I shall die
I am slowly dying
I am fragile

[Mitka]

A pile of poop
Sat in zazen in the middle of the lawn

The surrounding blades of grass were annoyed

They said Mr Poop
Your practice stinks

[Myogan]

Something from my pediatric residency days

I look upon an empty room where someone was before,
I see the walls all stripped and bare an feel the pain once more.
What was it that I’d hoped to find where people felt such gloom,
It’s not the child he is no more and does not need the room.
But through my tears I find a peace, a thought that comforts me,
Although a cure I could not give, from pain I know he’s free.

Dedicated to Chase Gribbens

Gassho
Sat

[Kokuu]

A pile of poop
Sat in zazen in the middle of the lawn

The surrounding blades of grass were annoyed

They said Mr Poop
Your practice stinks

Ha! I love this one.

[Kokuu]

Yours is really moving, Myogan.

Deep bows
Kokuu
-sattoday/lah-

[Hoseki]

Confidently Proselytizing to ghosts
tripping in fetters
illusion giving way to illusion

Hoseki
Sattoday