Sunday, November 21, 2021
TEN OLD MONK POEMS (42)
IF YOU THINK
If you think about
small things all day,
in the evening,
you won't,
the old monk said.
~
IS IT THE LIGHT
Is it the light
leaving or the darkness
coming in you fear,
the old monk asked him.
~
SOMETIMES / WISDOM
Sometimes
wisdom comes
before its time,
the old monk
told his master.
~
YOU WANT TO
You want to
study the universe
by breaking up
particles
that want to
stay together --
is that what
you're saying,
the old monk asked.
~
SOMETIMES / YOU EXPECT
Sometimes
you expect
to fly and
the mountain
surprises you,
the old monk said.
~
THAT'S HOW IT
That's how it begins,
the end bumps into it --
the universe,
the old monk said.
~
ALWAYS
Always
in the evening
the mountain
settles
and settles
again,
the old monk said.
~
IT'S LIKE SOMEONE
It's like someone
is trying to get
out of here when
I'm writing,
the old monk told
the poet.
~
THAT'S WHAT
That's what I like,
the way the mountain
fades to night,
the old monk said.
~
THAT WHICH IS
That which is
unexpected
is to be
expected,
the old monk said.
~
