Sunday, September 05, 2021
TEN OLD MONK POEMS (31)
LOVE IS
Love is
kind of like
fire and
kind of
not,
the old monk says.
~
IF YOU CARRY
If you carry it
like a knife,
someone will
probably get hurt,
the old monk said.
~
I COULDN'T BEGIN
I couldn't begin
to tell you
what any of it
means,
the old monk said.
I understand
nothing.
~
I CAN'T THINK
I can't think about that
while I'm doing this,
the old monk said.
Sometimes that's what you want.
~
WAIT
Wait long enough
you'll learn patience,
the old monk says.
That's how it works.
~
WHEN SOMETHING
When something changes
something changes
more than you know,
the old monk said.
~
SECOND HELPINGS
Second helpings
should be served first,
the old monk says.
~
SOME NIGHTS
Some nights,
the old monk said,
it's as if I've
crash-landed.
~
WHAT IS THAT
What is that game
you only get to cross
the blue line once,
the old monk asked.
~
COME BACK
Come back,
but don't come back
too soon,
the old monk said
to the guest who had
overstayed his welcome.
~
