Sunday, August 22, 2021
TEN OLD MONK POEMS (29)
ENOUGH MOON
Enough moon
you won't need
a flashlight,
the old monk
promised.
~
WHAT THE STARS
What the stars
will tell you,
you won't know
until you listen.
the old monk said.
~
HOW OFTEN
How often
do you get to do that,
the old monk asked,
rhyme so many words
in a single line?
~
SOMETIMES NOT
Sometimes not
what you say,
but saying it,
the old monk says.
~
EVEN THE LEFT-
Even the left-
handed poet
gets to get one,
the old monk said.
That's why I'm here.
~
DON'T EXPLAIN IT
Don't explain it,
the old monk said.
They've had their
lessons. They have
directions.
~
SOMETIMES WHAT
Sometimes what
you let go of
doesn't let go
but you don't
know that until
you do,
the old monk said.
~
ONE, TWO, OR THREE
One, two, or three things,
you can't think of
more than that,
the old monk said --
sex, food, money.
~
IT'S NOT
It's not the promise
you make,
the old monk said,
it's making
the promise.
~
WHERE DO YOU
Where do you find them,
they asked. The old monk
said, "Oh, here and there,
laying about. Try one."
~
