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

[Jundo]

Shawnzen
Member

This message has been deleted by Shawnzen.
Reason
I am dissatisfied with my poems, and so I have decided to delete a majority of them.

Shawn,

I am no critic of poetry, even Zen poetry ...

... but I do know that most of the critic often exists just between our own two ears. Perhaps you might repost them.

Gassho, J

STLah

PS - For what my opinion is worth, I truly really liked your poems.

[PeaceMan]

The Brook

desire -
the babbling brook
flows around it

[Tai Shi]

There are no critics here. We post our poetry, and as is often the case with me, they are impromptu meanderings through the woods of words-- don't worry-- no one will criticise, and within reason, all are welcome-- we claim no bad or good-- we just are and we like it all-- Shawn please come back-- you are welcome here. I welcome you.
Gassho
sat/ lah
Tai Shi

[Seikan]

There are no critics here. We post our poetry, and as is often the case with me, they are impromptu meanderings through the woods of words-- don't worry-- no one will criticise, and within reason, all are welcome-- we claim no bad or good-- we just are and we like it all-- Shawn please come back-- you are welcome here. I welcome you.
Gassho
sat/ lah
Tai Shi

Tai Shi said it perfectly. This is a wonderful space to share our poetry with no unsolicited critique. I know that my own work won't resonate with everyone, and that's fine. If we're moved to share our work in the first place, that is all that matters.

Please do continue to share. The more the merrier!

Gassho,
Rob

-stlah-


Sent from my Pixel 4a (5G) using Tapatalk

[PeaceMan]

Sitting

Thoughts racing, turning, chasing
Changing
Coming, leaving all at once
Grasping
Grasped
Gone
Underneath the storm
Is silence
Peace
Present
All along

[Tai Shi]

Thoughts racing, turning, chasing
Changing
Coming, leaving all at once
Grasping
Grasped
Gone
Underneath the storm
Is silence
Peace
Present
All along

Very, nice, For me, so long as I relax, zazen is peaceful.
Gassho
sat/lah
Gassho

[Tai Shi]

desire -
the babbling brook
flows around it

Yes, I babble just like a brook. As a young man, I said little. I grew older more and more water eroded my stones. I am now smooth. I babble.
Gassho
sat / lah
Gassho
Tai Shi

[PeaceMan]

Righting Wrong View

Wrong is not the opposite of right
Wrong is right astray
Pushing and pulling everything in its way

[Seikan]

Wrong is not the opposite of right
Wrong is right astray
Pushing and pulling everything in its way

Jon,

I really like this one. In particular the line, "Wrong is right astray". This is good food for thought/non-thought and dovetails nicely with our ongoing precepts study.



Gassho,
Rob

-stlah-

[Shawnzen]

Not seeking objects
Not clinging to views
I abide as I am
Without knowing right from wrong

Like a little boy
I drink my coffee
Abandoning my mind
I stumble forward

I cannot find enlightenment
I cannot get rid of delusion
Some things make me feel good
And other things hurt me

Sat today

[Shawnzen]

This person that I witness
And his relationship to life
Is good in some ways,
Bad in others

A constant feeling
Of being bad
And trying very hard
To be good

I could not become a Buddha
By percieving the three marks
Nor could I become a jnani
By negating all forms

Looking upon people like Christ and Ramakrishna
A breath of fresh air fills my lungs and my heart is softened
Why do I like these people?
Perhaps because I feel that they are without judgement

My own judgements are harsh
Towards myself and others
I understand what the Buddha said,
But I cannot bare to try to be like him anymore

Sat today
Gassho
Thank you all for the kind words

[Shawnzen]

Gradually learning to let go of unhappiness
And learning to be kind to others.
In the past, I have sinned
By hurting others.
In the present,
I abide as awareness and watch my life happen.
In my body,
I practice Zazen every day and try my best to uphold moral virtues.
Sometimes I feel like shaving my head,
And other times I do not feel like shaving my head.
The tall oak tree stands amongst blades of grass.
The blades of grass tickle the base of the tree,
And the tree offers the blades of grass some shelter from the elements.
As the wind blows,
Both the tree and the blades of grass sway from side to side.

Gassho
Sat today

[Shawnzen]

Hi. One more poem for today. I promise I won't delete them again. I just need to learn to get past my own embarrassment.

Sitting on the couch,
The world is my self.
Even though I am different from the world,
I identify with the world.
Even though the world is different from me,
I merge with the world.
Sitting on the couch,
I allow all things to be as they are.
Allowing all things to be as they are,
I practice patience, kindness, humility, and love for self and others.

Sat today
Gassho

P.S. also, a question. I see some people writing "lah" in their posts. What does that stand for?

Thanks for giving me a chance to share my poetry with you all. I hope you all have a nice day, whereever you are.

[Koushi]

P.S. also, a question. I see some people writing "lah" in their posts. What does that stand for?

Thanks for giving me a chance to share my poetry with you all. I hope you all have a nice day, whereever you are.

Hey there! Embarrassment is normal I think. Us writers and poets are always so self-critical. Please keep sharing, they’re great

LAH is short for “lend/lent a hand”. Where signing ST/Sat/Sat Today is what you’ll see most, LAH is usually after if someone feels called to share

Gassho,
Jesse
ST

[Seikan]

On Call

I'm not a doctor
Or civil servant
Yet I'm always on edge
Always waiting
For the other shoe
That may never fall
Few and far between
Are those sublime moments
When I let my guard down
Welcoming the anxiety
As an old friend
Who stays only so long
Before taking their leave
And I go back to pretending
That they're still here beside me


Gassho,
Rob

-stlah-