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

変速伝 (Hensoku Den)

Let's talk Transmission
You have to know where neutral is to get anywhere
Neutral is marked with an R for rigpa
Or an S for Shikantaza
But what about the other gears?
Who can show us where and what they are?
Different gears are good for different things
But the moment you try to bring it up
They want you to stay in neutral
Or they figure you're going to drive away anyway
The Zen vehicle only teaches about neutral
But how will you move heaven and Earth without a low gear
How will you get up the mountain without being able to lock your differential?
Once you've used all the gears you have lots to work with
But don't try too early because that's how you stall
That's how you grind up your transmission
And they don't rebuild those anymore
And anyway most people are better off with an automatic

_/\_
sat/ah
matt

堕落無間 (daraku muken)

sometimes I want to tell
do bad zazen and go to hell

or go to heaven if you prefer
just be aware of where you are

so many gaps and in between
no awareness of where we've been

try not to do, don't try not to be
can't do and not be so no need to worry

_/\_
sat/ah
matt

[Choujou]

Just sit,
I listened
as Buddha
whispered In my ear
”let go”

Just sit,
I heard the Dharma
in the silence
of the shikantaza
we know

Just sit,
I held the Sangha
in my heart of hearts
grateful for the bonds
we sew

Gassho,
Jay

Sat/lah today

川の水を売る (Kawa no Mizu o Uru)

What do they do for 3 years!?
Looking at their mind!?
Resting in pure awareness tears

Where is Taishi? Can he see?
My university drop out?
Many concepts have been

"Other" peoples practice perceiver
Do it my way, they say
Selling water by the river

_/\_
sat/ah
matt

Wildfire smoke blankets the island
Each inhalation a sutra of impermanence

Gassho,
Paco
sat/lah

堅牢堅固 (kenrou kengo)

Mixing concrete, just add water
Gritty and clear wrote the Dragon Mind
A base for my woodstove, slightly uneven
Namu kara tummo warm in winter

What will become of the trees I will teach?
Too lazy to paint pictures in mu mind
Like an odd number who can't even
Beyond sight, beyond sound, beyond reach

The highest path is the lowest bubble level
But what's in the middle--a pedestal
Like surveying the path and filling in gaps
Then going back to count sand and devils

_/\_
sat/ah
matt

断絶の海 (danzen no umi)

Why should there be
a lack of continuity
you, me, the sea--we three

Why can't I remember
the psych ward in September
Yatagawa fields a splendor

Worse to be confused
to be lost in another's room
a thief who has left a tomb

lie in it...

_/\_
sat/ah
matt

夢幻泡影 (Mugen houyou)

Many doors to many go
In the greyness of dawn
I yawn and reach for that pillow

Walking the halls, demon on my heels
Kanzeon! Namu butsu o butsu u en yo
Stone floor of Doshinji mind seals

I'm a policeman at a crime scene
I'm a secretary being bored
I'm a real estate agent selling

I died, drug deal gone bad
Shivved in the neck
Shawty so sad


_/\_
sat/ah
matt

外人 (gaijin)

I'm feeling nostalgic
Listening to Shima Uta
AI translated... THE BoOM
The Realization. The WAR!
It's a post war song!?
So many years gone by
Clouded by Sochu
Sung into smelly microphones

Thats what its about!?
Another bomb drops
Mumon in Shizuoka 1945
Okayama in late summer 2011
A Shizen Biku hears his ears
Sirens, planes, thumps and rumbles
Screams, a school, all dead
Gaijin monks oblivious

Makyo surely, otherwise... what?
Its one thing when you're asleep
Its many when you're awake
But you can't be fooled on your cushion
No questions in dokusan
"Why?"
"Get out of here you arrogant fool!"
Every day is a good day...

_/\_
sat/ah
matt

[Jundo]

No so far the only thing I've heard about you is that you're argumentative. But I can't really say anything about that myself (glass houses and all)...

_/\_
sat/ah
matt

It is true. I do not like foolery, quackery, fake claims, bad translations and such. It is true.

Fortunately, I am not judge of good or bad poetry, so will have no criticism to offer you here.

Gassho, Jundo
stlah

I thank you for this. Powerful poem.

(I also read it twice, just checking that my name is not in there. Hopefully, there will be no future verse about me ever! I also remind folks constantly about the HUNDREDS of Zen and other Buddhist teachers who help people, not hurt them, make no bad waves, cause no scandal ... so get no headlines, and no poem. The bad apples get the attention ... as they should ... but the beautiful orchard sometimes get ignored. )

Gassho, J
stlah

No so far the only thing I've heard about you is that you're argumentative. But I can't really say anything about that myself (glass houses and all)...

_/\_
sat/ah
matt

[Jundo]

戒 (Kai)

Not Shimano’s or Sasaki’s women,
Who fell beneath their whispered sin,
Not Anderson’s fatal spree,
Not Maezumi’s hidden glee.

Not Baker’s downfall, pride astray,
Not Ikkyu’s crossing every line,
Not Dalai Lama’s strange embrace,
Of Asahara’s deadly grace.

Not Jean Vanier’s women’s trial,
Nor Trungpa’s coked-up reckless style,
Not Seung Sahn’s heart of lies,
Not Chögyal’s wild fantasy skies.

Not Merzel’s twisted Zen charade,
Not Taisen’s lineage mislaid,
Not Swami Rama’s secret play,
Nor Osho’s poisoned desert sway.

Not Sogyal’s cult-like grip of pain,
Not Amrit Desai’s lustful reign,
Not Gandhi's troubling Manu test,
Nor Muktananda’s darkened quest.

These saints who stumbled from on high— It seems the brightest lights have shadows. Why?
If all roads lead to such a fall,
Why seek to lead, when truth veils all?
Perhaps it's best to live and be,
A simple heart, untamed, yet free.

_/\_
sat/ah
matt

I thank you for this. Powerful poem.

(I also read it twice, just checking that my name is not in there. Hopefully, there will be no future verse about me ever! I also remind folks constantly about the HUNDREDS of Zen and other Buddhist teachers who help people, not hurt them, make no bad waves, cause no scandal ... so get no headlines, and no poem. The bad apples get the attention ... as they should ... but the beautiful orchard sometimes get ignored. )

Gassho, J
stlah

戒 (Kai)

Not Shimano’s or Sasaki’s women,
Who fell beneath their whispered sin,
Not Anderson’s fatal spree,
Not Maezumi’s hidden glee.

Not Baker’s downfall, pride astray,
Not Ikkyu’s crossing every line,
Not Dalai Lama’s strange embrace,
Of Asahara’s deadly grace.

Not Jean Vanier’s women’s trial,
Nor Trungpa’s coked-up reckless style,
Not Seung Sahn’s heart of lies,
Not Chögyal’s wild fantasy skies.

Not Merzel’s twisted Zen charade,
Not Taisen’s lineage mislaid,
Not Swami Rama’s secret play,
Nor Osho’s poisoned desert sway.

Not Sogyal’s cult-like grip of pain,
Not Amrit Desai’s lustful reign,
Not Gandhi's troubling Manu test,
Nor Muktananda’s darkened quest.

These saints who stumbled from on high— It seems the brightest lights have shadows. Why?
If all roads lead to such a fall,
Why seek to lead, when truth veils all?
Perhaps it's best to live and be,
A simple heart, untamed, yet free.

_/\_
sat/ah
matt

Three Teachers, (Four Poems)

First writing of work
He called it transactional,
Then come language
Of self, self personal
With always audience
Of one, audience
Then came language of art
Everything to create?....….........

Foots Down

Oh my child, can it be?
It is now time for me to say
I must let you learn the hard way?

17 years of feeling
Your pain, Our pain
Fix your own damn drive train.

Wait till graduation
Delayed gratification
Is what builds a nation

24 years for a Rakusu
24 weeks for a car
Didn't think we'd get this far

The time has come
If you want it, work for it
Or simply stop wanting shit

Is the best lesson I could teach
The only lesson you will get
No, you are not an adult yet

My parents never taught me this
"I'll be a better one" is the danger
By not giving into our anger




This poem is probably a little more "literal" than yours Taishi. I still have a lot of concepts about what makes a poem. I'm sure you can teach me a thing or two. I'm happy to be your Ango partner and I'm happy to use poetry to communicate.

_/\_
sat/ah
matt

[Tai Shi]

Three Teachers, (Four Poems)


Ultimate Questions

One writes big
One writes small, Big
and Little poetry haven't
We said bitrh can mingle like love
Of flowers, love of zenith, one
Love of Planet, Galaxy, Earth

It's Earthtide, Moon,
Male Tide, Female
Tide. Chinese
Space race,
Russian Space
Races

Daughter it's
Wonderful. its
My gift to my
Femenity, all senerity
Unsucessful marriges,
Successful narrative
No marrige, questions
Of femenity this freedom
Daughter It's given
Rough hewen,
Trees

Lesson plans, sigh
You have plans right
The idea is to get
Students, boys,
Girls to grow up
Speak Japanese.
My job was to seek
Expression, like
James Moffet taught
Expression of Language
Three Rings

First writing of work
He called it transactional,
Then come language
Of self, self personal
With always audience
Of one, audience
Then came language of art
Everything to create?




All Three Come
To Teaching

Truth comes, art, poetry
Beautiful language
Itself personal,
Transactional
Again language of all
Creation, showing

Beautiful unity, focus
Building blocks, outline,
This is creation most
Beautiful of all, narrative
Everything is story,
Grammar,
Direction,

Poetry is everything
Even weather girls,
I gave to daughter
Gavelanguage
Broken
Whole sentances
Back to me

My birthday ice-
Cream cake, building
Out of chaos, Electricity
In Rock music, electronically
Formulated
Certainty was mine
Claim of twin towers,
I had it first written poetry
Four o'clock mother
AM, mother Gave birth,
Silently, father alone
One even September
Elventh ninteen, fifty-
One, ultimately all
Of us are one, we
Cannot pull father
Out of womb!
Left for doctors,
Nurses, Asked
"Toch her. She's yours!"

Instill this gift
Always life
As direction
Father was working
To create even
If it's poetry nothing
No pay for poetry

You united all three
Little one that's is genius,
In your PhD, transactional
Personal, written art
Out of translations
Creation of Poetry.

That was my gift,
Tansactional, Personal,
United in Art,
Taught at universities,
You gave me, creation
Of Poetry, father's job
Completed as you
Became your own, teacher
Of your own creation
Lessons Planned, Outlined,
Orginized all work father,
Trasactional, my father
World of oil fields
Your world ultimately
Found language
One creation united
Translations Creation
Of beauty, translations
Of art, writing your own poetry.

You are ultimately
Poetry of heart
Showing humanity
Language of birth,

I gave you your own birth
From my shoulders
Never bootstraps.
My father gave me
Ultimately language
Of work his completely
Transactional
I rejected worl of oil
Rigs, Math, Machines,
Electronics.
Father's own boots
Climbing Towers
Pounding into Earth.



Transations, Abstract
Personal Art

Wait, he was ultmately
Teacher of trnsactions,
His was creation of Earth
I was a teacher of expression
Essays of worth, solid
Classifications, arguments
Poetry of Salt, Herritage
Of personal, art
Out,of all three
Out of dust, out'
Of concrete mixed with rock
Sand, water traweled

Into fences, into driveways
Into transations of Falls
Into chairs, onto wood floors,
Into seventy-three-years-old
Falling, stumbaling, cutting
Arms, hands, I age like
Father who must die
Of cardiac arrest, heart
Quits pumping, fails
From pulminary arrest
Lungs quit pumping
Daughter shoulder
Your load. You teach
At thirty-five, yours is legacy
Of Professorship
Working tword longevity.

All of us, daughter,
My poetry of raw material,
Pictures, my father
We became teachers
Language you of transactions
Combined in all three,
Poetry, personal
Transational
In kindness to Japanese

Who were not
Bombs of of Peral
Harbor, Pacific Campaign
Okinawa
To avoid slaughter of humanity
Two-hunfred fifty thousand
Lives taken with
Two bombs
We are no Heroshima,
Nagasaki, this is
Your time, Father great
Depression For me twin towers
Legacy from Lutenat Cowley
Milai, entire village
Slaughtered, Vietnam
Thich Naht Hanah

Dughter, Desert Storm
Jewish ultimate question,
Ultimate question Her Nebula
Inherited all of us
Within her PhD.
This was the dream
Of my father, and me,
You completed direction
You made your own PhD
You finally you worked,
Ours was creation,
You mayNever marry,
I see It clearly




Three Teachers
Questions of Peace

I gave you my shoulders
To climb out of this mess
My father gave me
His bootstaps to climb
Out of this mess,
So I became teacher
Of Poetry, personal

You are all three
Transactional, personal
Art as I watched you
Take the Apgar,
I touched her,
Nurses, doctors
Gave you hard,
Hard hard birth,
You were thirty days
Old we saw it
AVM on bottom
Of your left foot,
No ammount of surgery
Could give you
What I had, brain surgery
Entirely throught
Mine was successfully
Hought for life,
Your decision

You nearly died
From AVM,
Ours is a differny solution
You will never marry
Or bear children yet
You bear all children
If great depression
Atom bombs
World war three as Eart
Explode its Envirement
With our dream
In your PhD, gratitude
In a way you
Not only climbed
From my shoulders,

You climbed from my
Fathers Bootstraps,
You are creator, you
Artist ultimately
Will your generation
Save Enviornment,
Your Japanese
Language of ten thousand

Paper cranes, oh boats
Of children, of Peace,
You are a Professor
Of Japanese, you
Are saving little
Ones as university
Prfessor of Japanese,
This is your
Ultimate sucess,
To live inspite of dozens
Of surgeries,
Like our own tumors,
You live beyond,
You have found peace
Tranquality, all
That grandpa Atom Bomb,
My generation Vietnam
Your generation, Do we
Destroy Earth, for Short sighted
Luxery, oil, gas, plastiv
Beer bottles,, filth, dropped
To Bottom of Mariannes Trench

Demanding Peace,
This is our legaccy, did
All three find our own
Peace? Will humanity
Destroy Earth
Not heading creations
Of artestry, Poetry
Personal, Transactions,
Warnings of teachers,
Is this question of Peace?


Gassho
lah/sat
Tai Shi
Calm Poetry