ARTS: Ango/Jukai Poetry 2020

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  • Seikan
    Member
    • Apr 2020
    • 712

    ARTS: Ango/Jukai Poetry 2020

    Hello Everyone,

    The poetry subforum has been a bit quiet as of late, yet there has been some other poetry activity elsewhere in the forum. I can also tell from digging through older threads that there are quite few lurking poets around here.

    While I originally didn't plan on doing any special writing during Ango, I've quickly found that this period of intensive practice/study has inspired me to try and express some of my thoughts and experiences in verse. I can't help but think that others here may be doing the same.

    Therefore, I figured that I'd go out on a limb and start a new, thematic thread where we can all share our poetic musings that have been directly inspired by (or simply the indirect result of) our Ango practice and/or Jukai study. No judging or critiques—just open sharing and appreciation.

    If I may, I'd like to start by sharing a short, simple piece that was inspired by my additional bowing practice along with the recent Jukai readings on taking refuge.

    ---

    First Steps

    Namu Kie Butsu

    One and the same, I bow to Buddha
    One and the same, Buddha bows to me
    One and the same, bowing bows

    Namu Kie Butsu

    ---

    Please feel free to share some of your own work inspired by this intensive practice period. I can't wait to read more of everyone's work here!

    Gassho,
    Rob

    -stlah-


    (P.S. I strongly recommend reading all poetry in these forums using a standard web browser. The mobile app tends to ignore deliberate line/stanza spacing, which may affect the readability of a particular poem).

    Last edited by Jundo; 01-24-2021, 02:34 AM.
    聖簡 Seikan (Sacred Simplicity)
  • Onka
    Member
    • May 2019
    • 1575

    #2
    Miss Red
    The message
    Reacted
    Redacted
    Myself
    From
    Miss Red
    Communication
    Again
    Again
    Again
    Miss Red
    Is not the problem
    Me?
    React
    Redact
    Again
    But why
    Must do better?
    Be better?
    Words without action
    Again
    Again
    Again.
    Sorry.

    Gassho
    Onka
    Sat today
    穏 On (Calm)
    火 Ka (Fires)
    They/She.

    Comment

    • Seikan
      Member
      • Apr 2020
      • 712

      #3
      Originally posted by Onka
      Miss Red
      The message
      Reacted
      Redacted
      Myself
      From
      Miss Red
      Communication
      Again
      Again
      Again
      Miss Red
      Is not the problem
      Me?
      React
      Redact
      Again
      But why
      Must do better?
      Be better?
      Words without action
      Again
      Again
      Again.
      Sorry.

      Gassho
      Onka
      Sat today

      Wonderful poem Onka! I really like the rhythm and tension in this. And I love your creative use the phrase "Miss Red". Very cool.

      Gassho,
      Rob

      -stlah-
      聖簡 Seikan (Sacred Simplicity)

      Comment

      • Seikan
        Member
        • Apr 2020
        • 712

        #4
        Here's an older piece that I've been re-working since Ango started:


        How to Care for Thoughts

        Fret over their every whim and whimper
        And you'll never get any rest
        Simply put them out to pasture
        Give them more room than they need
        Keep one eye gently upon them
        Let them run wild and free
        Soon they'll be exhausted
        And the field empty once more


        Gassho,
        Rob

        -stlah-
        聖簡 Seikan (Sacred Simplicity)

        Comment

        • Meitou
          Member
          • Feb 2017
          • 1656

          #5
          What a great idea, thank you for starting this Rob, I'll enjoy reading.
          Gassho
          Meitou
          Sattoday lah
          命 Mei - life
          島 Tou - island

          Comment

          • Kokuu
            Treeleaf Priest
            • Nov 2012
            • 6844

            #6
            Lovely poem, Rob!

            It reminds me of something Shunryu Suzuki said:

            “Even though you try to put people under control, it is impossible. You cannot do it. The best way to control people is to encourage them to be mischievous. Then they will be in control in a wider sense. To give your sheep or cow a large spacious meadow is the way to control him."

            -- Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind
            Gassho
            Kokuu
            -sattoday-

            Comment

            • Seikan
              Member
              • Apr 2020
              • 712

              #7
              Originally posted by Kokuu
              Lovely poem, Rob!

              It reminds me of something Shunryu Suzuki said:



              Gassho
              Kokuu
              -sattoday-
              Thanks Kokuu! I've read "Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind" so many times that I'd be lying if I said that that passage didn't influence me in some way. [emoji6]

              Gassho,
              Rob

              -stlah-


              Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
              聖簡 Seikan (Sacred Simplicity)

              Comment

              • Seikan
                Member
                • Apr 2020
                • 712

                #8
                As I'm still sewing, this piece is a work in progress, but I wanted to share it as it currently stands as I think it may reflect what some others are also experiencing right now.


                Rakusu

                A glacial evolution
                Carving the new
                Out of the old

                All senses engaged
                Prick of the needle
                Taste of the thread

                Measure, mark, measure
                And cut
                No turning back

                Everywhere I turn
                Fabric inexhaustible
                I work it nonetheless

                Progress of no-progress
                On a collision course
                With myself

                Mirror of cotton
                Reflects no light
                Only the mind

                Each stitch
                A breath captured
                Preserved, recorded

                Cho meets Tan
                Gaze meets wall
                No difference

                Inside and outside
                Worlds collide
                One stitch at a time



                Gassho,
                Rob

                -stlah-
                聖簡 Seikan (Sacred Simplicity)

                Comment

                • Washin
                  Treeleaf Unsui
                  • Dec 2014
                  • 3794

                  #9
                  Originally posted by RobD
                  As I'm still sewing, this piece is a work in progress, but I wanted to share it as it currently stands as I think it may reflect what some others are also experiencing right now.


                  Rakusu

                  A glacial evolution
                  Carving the new
                  Out of the old

                  All senses engaged
                  Prick of the needle
                  Taste of the thread

                  Measure, mark, measure
                  And cut
                  No turning back

                  Everywhere I turn
                  Fabric inexhaustible
                  I work it nonetheless

                  Progress of no-progress
                  On a collision course
                  With myself

                  Mirror of cotton
                  Reflects no light
                  Only the mind

                  Each stitch
                  A breath captured
                  Preserved, recorded

                  Cho meets Tan
                  Gaze meets wall
                  No difference

                  Inside and outside
                  Worlds collide
                  One stitch at a time



                  Gassho,
                  Rob

                  -stlah-
                  Kaidō (皆道) Every Way
                  Washin (和信) Harmony Trust
                  ----
                  I am a novice priest-in-training. Anything that I say must not be considered as teaching
                  and should be taken with a 'grain of salt'.

                  Comment

                  • Bion
                    Treeleaf Unsui
                    • Aug 2020
                    • 4549

                    #10
                    Originally posted by RobD
                    As I'm still sewing, this piece is a work in progress, but I wanted to share it as it currently stands as I think it may reflect what some others are also experiencing right now.


                    Rakusu

                    A glacial evolution
                    Carving the new
                    Out of the old

                    All senses engaged
                    Prick of the needle
                    Taste of the thread

                    Measure, mark, measure
                    And cut
                    No turning back

                    Everywhere I turn
                    Fabric inexhaustible
                    I work it nonetheless

                    Progress of no-progress
                    On a collision course
                    With myself

                    Mirror of cotton
                    Reflects no light
                    Only the mind

                    Each stitch
                    A breath captured
                    Preserved, recorded

                    Cho meets Tan
                    Gaze meets wall
                    No difference

                    Inside and outside
                    Worlds collide
                    One stitch at a time



                    Gassho,
                    Rob

                    -stlah-
                    [emoji1374] I see myself in those words. Bowing to you my dear friend [emoji3526]

                    [emoji1374] SatToday lah
                    "Stepping back with open hands, is thoroughly comprehending life and death. Immediately you can sparkle and respond to the world." - Hongzhi

                    Comment

                    • Kokuu
                      Treeleaf Priest
                      • Nov 2012
                      • 6844

                      #11
                      That is beautiful, Rob! A lovely expression of the process of sewing and practice.

                      Just a wee tanka:

                      this rushing wind
                      with nowhere to go
                      I pour another
                      bowl of tea
                      and listen to the rain



                      Gassho
                      Kokuu
                      -sattoday-

                      Comment

                      • Seikan
                        Member
                        • Apr 2020
                        • 712

                        #12
                        Originally posted by Kokuu
                        That is beautiful, Rob! A lovely expression of the process of sewing and practice.

                        Just a wee tanka:

                        this rushing wind
                        with nowhere to go
                        I pour another
                        bowl of tea
                        and listen to the rain



                        Gassho
                        Kokuu
                        -sattoday-
                        Thank you Kokuu. And your beautiful tanka is quite timely as we had rain and gusty winds this morning during breakfast. If I didn't know better, I'd think you lived just down the street.

                        Gassho,
                        Rob

                        -stlah-

                        Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
                        聖簡 Seikan (Sacred Simplicity)

                        Comment

                        • Ashburn
                          Member
                          • Mar 2020
                          • 1

                          #13
                          A little Haiku for all:

                          Towards the wall I sit;
                          No sitting, no wall, no me--
                          Ango once again.

                          Gassho,
                          Randy Ashburn

                          Sattoday

                          Comment

                          • Yokai
                            Member
                            • Jan 2020
                            • 507

                            #14
                            Deep bows all for these profound moments

                            Gassho, Chris satlah

                            Comment

                            • Seikan
                              Member
                              • Apr 2020
                              • 712

                              #15
                              Originally posted by Ashburn
                              A little Haiku for all:

                              Towards the wall I sit;
                              No sitting, no wall, no me--
                              Ango once again.

                              Gassho,
                              Randy Ashburn

                              Sattoday
                              Very nice Randy! Please do share more if you feel moved to.

                              Gassho,
                              Rob
                              聖簡 Seikan (Sacred Simplicity)

                              Comment

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