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

[Tai Shi]

Beyond Buddha, Wedding Light

Wind see tree, move
Light, galaxy, length spiral
Linger, long hands, ring
Finger, my wedding vow
Enough more firm than
Any vow, till death, we
Are gone to elemental
Change, Wisdom of gold
Where kings fathom old
Age Murh into frankly
Beautiful Beyond relations,
Our relationship ordered,
Creation, neither time;

Metaphor, long kalpe,
Kalpa, time unto time
Diadem, water, mechanism
Within range he sinks
Silver, titanium wisdom
Known forever, known
Diamond to other, never
Torn asunder, we gather
Partake of each other

Reconstructed reason
Knowledge together
With great Century
To centuries hundreds
Crossing over so light
We never throng ever
Terror forming nothing
Trace element titanIum,
Silver, fully, Gold, we
Shall reach to stars
Our diamonds mending
Adorned she meets me
There in space arms
Engulfing my essence,
One friend's for other
Forever, knowing death

Taking wedding child
Eventually to strength
This knowing value
Galaxy recombination
forever, value of science
Open mindedness,
Loving past looking
To future, wholeness
Fortress of starry nights
Andromeda, moving
Through each other
Majestic moculules
Subatomic, Hydrogen
To Helium trace atoms
Elemental beyond words
Our inscription inter-
Are in each dimension
After, colalessing
Eternally to another
World, we strike out,
Variation very essence

This mathematical
Proportional. space
After space, near
Driven winged, melted,
Shrine, sacrafice seterat
For friend supreme left
Example go before
To prepare place. He
Of Glory, we sing
Anthem in silence
Our diadem, renewed.

Tai Shi
Gassho
sat/lah

[Onkai]

Beyond Buddha, Wedding Light

Wind see tree, move
Light, galaxy, length spiral
Linger, long hands, ring
Finger, my wedding vow
Enough more firm than
Any vow, till death, we
Are gone to elemental
Change, Wisdom of gold
Where kings fathom old
Age Murh into frankly
Beautiful Beyond relations,
Our relationship ordered,
Creation, neither time;

Metaphor, long kalpe,
Kalpa, time unto time
Diadem, water, mechanism
Within range he sinks
Silver, titanium wisdom
Known forever, known
Diamond to other, never
Torn asunder, we gather
Partake of each other

Reconstructed reason
Knowledge together
With great Century
To centuries hundreds
Crossing over so light
We never throng ever
Terror forming nothing
Trace element titanIum,
Silver, fully, Gold, we
Shall reach to stars
Our diamonds mending
Adorned she meets me
There in space arms
Engulfing my essence,
One friend's for other
Forever, knowing death

Taking wedding child
Eventually to strength
This knowing value
Galaxy recombination
forever, value of science
Open mindedness,
Loving past looking
To future, wholeness
Fortress of starry nights
Andromeda, moving
Through each other
Majestic moculules
Subatomic, Hydrogen
To Helium trace atoms
Elemental beyond words
Our inscription inter-
Are in each dimension
After, colalessing
Eternally to another
World, we strike out,
Variation very essence

This mathematical
Proportional. space
After space, near
Driven winged, melted,
Shrine, sacrafice seterat
For friend supreme left
Example go before
To prepare place. He
Of Glory, we sing
Anthem in silence
Our diadem, renewed.

Tai Shi
Gassho
sat/lah

Wonderful and awe inspiring!

Gassho, Onkai
Sat lah

[Tai Shi]

Onkai, maybe read my admission of wrong, my commitment of life, in these Precepts and how I began to understand how I am beholden to her, and in admission of sin and error to other women, I am sorry, am saddened, owe her everything, and owe all women my understanding which is real and repentant, and owe men who I have deceived, and men of this world of which of whom I owe my life, and know that here I have recommittal of myself to the Precepts; I know the egoless self, I am not pure, my ego mind is not worthy; only of intense friendliness of which because of her, I recognize the rest of my life is dedicated to this servitude which is the only gift I can offer; yet, as old I can only offer my education and writing and be, to give over such as the truth. I here attempt to live in this right in the vast ocean of all beings where I only now live in wonder.
sat/lah
Deep Gasso
Deep bows.
sat only a small part of this day,

[Onkai]

We all can only do the best we can with the gift of life.

Gassho, Onkai
Sat lah

[Tai Shi]

I am working on a title for my third book, and possibly My Care of the Precepts. I arise now, I am relaxed, shoulders dropped, smile on my face. Life truly is good. May I always as a good man give of myself. The practice of 36 years beginning with turning away from illegal drugs and all alcohol and toward family has made the biggest difference in behavior of good my greatest effort which is now bearing fruit after more than three and one half decades, one year, and three months of abstinence from alcohol and illegal drugs, and abstinence from all tobaccos products for 23 years, most excess food for 14 years, and still working on the absence from excess food, eating much healthy foods. May I always turn away from error turning away from excess work which was from my disability as emotion, toward evenness, and ordinaryness, and toward this way of the egoless man, though I have self worth, and recognize my great command of knowledge, I believe I am finally gaining wisdom, understanding tolerance and equality of all, men women and race, understanding of error, and malevolent behavior recognizing the sacredness of all life, this is true, and respect for the need to control premature death, unusual illnesses with all medically right and moral gifts of modern science always away from anger and deceit; may I love life, read of others for knowledge which I kove, love others. I cannot love all, and tolerance is the least of my behaviors. This I offer even some of those who do me wrong because of ignorance. I have been working on freedom from anger and resentment for 36 years, and finally with the with help of modern psychiatry and psychology, I have made much progress toward this freedom and I cannot always be happy. I feel the aids of contemporary thought and practice of medicine, and CBT therapy, and positive emotion have made much progress in my behavior. I have a true smile, and healthy personality. Try to allow natural love of my wife, understand of my love of my true partner, know that I will make mistakes and be wrong, my friend, my true love, one who I marvel has given her life with mine to the goodness of her own life and away from that which destroys. she is mostly healthy, and does receive my unconditional regard, Marjorie, meaning Pearl. Yes I make mistakes, give in to excess sugar, and wonder why I bring her with me to error. I nevertheless am mostly happy. I depart for the remainder of my breakfast..
Gassho
sat/lah

[Tai Shi]

Mourn for Mountain Bells, my Home Town
Ojai, California, for Thich Nhat Hanh
Saga of New and Old/ World

She knows my poetry, Leading world Buddhism
Drips bright red for a sensuous bells, Buddha,
Ringing like day Breaking peaks of night, Sacramento
Where children play on Glaciers of northern Slopes
High California, Sierra Mountains, Castle Peak, Telescope
Peak, Volcanic northern Peaks up high, Shasta, Hanchangua,
Everest Tibetan Nepal, Then Home of creation, Shasta
People, Wintu, Achomawi, Atsugewi, Modoc,
Shasta Trinity Great Forest, belief To rid of deadly spirits, Turn to
Mt. Lassen long for Buddha, Rocky Pikes, Longs Peak,
Never Throwing boulders, molten ruby sliced to land,
Fire, open gorges, Atsugewi, Yani, ancient peoples,
Yahi, Maidu, Small Eruptions, where are Buddhas?
Kennesaw Mountain,South Mt, Lookout Mt, Freedom,
Black, White, indecisive battles, freedom to Asia, Gayasia,
Braymoni, Buddha voice rang out, Liberation Detachment,
Fire Sermon, Freedom from lust, cravings, and desire,
Where is Ojai?

Began May, 30, 1914 Great War German, Austrian Empire
Great Britain, French, Italian, gassed American ending
Lassen, Shasta Peoples, Indigenous Peoples To 1917,
1914 Great Chaos Crags Lassen 1,100 years Ago. Light dimmed
By time, lava flows slowed Devastated Areas three Miles around
Lassen Peak, Mountains, Near Boston, Mt Wachusett why freedom
Berkshires west in Machussetes, Mt Misery, then Beacon Hill,
Bunker Hill, Blue Hill around Boston 25, to 20 million years ago volcanic
Plug suicide Point plugged up, without lava Silent City Heights, subway.
The ferment of God, more she slides to Tea Rebelion taxes,
Letting go of possessions, even thoughts of desire, and material
Surmounted all Battles, What of W.W. 2, Bitan And remains nothing
Without Reparation, Away from Georges Land who England cannot
Rise above her, Spain, Napoleon surmonterd, where is Huma, Buddha
Glaciers ceased to flow, rock Split by snow. She is no more alone. Women from Britain Gone are life volcanos shunted up. Worlds far
Away Volcanic Child, Javir Moro, Venezuelan struggle for Independence, Mt Poramia, Pico La Concha, Cerro Sarsiama, no Tathagata,
Mexico Where do rebels hide in mountains, Americas
Simon, de Bolivar 1821 Republic of Grands Colombia, 1830, Sovereignty, Napoleon Brought dominance to 1824, April 19, 1810, Where is Ohai nested?
War for independence, Venezuela July 5, 1811, declaration
States from Spain are now Independent. Americana 1812
Where is Ojai?

Snow capped sacred, Valley Awawi, sacred Ohai of the Moon sisters,
Chumash Indigenous people of Ojai named valley of the moon when Nordof founded Nest, nested peoples, Amerindians Amazon Only now 2% we celebrate Wayuu, Pedrigo, River, 36,000 years ago. Peoples of Andes, Amazonias, Francisco
Franco 1836. Now Nicolas Maduro modernize push For democracy, Spain, Europe, December 2022 Ramon Santos Martinez, then ancient Immigrants to Country, Shephards spoke Spanish, Venezuelan, Spain, Trade with Franco, Back and forth Present day one in four have fled their homes, 2023, Venezuelan Nationals In USA, Mountain people USA rights. Even Social Security, Ojai to Plumb Village to safety,
All but voting, ancient Maduro have Spanish Nationals illegal Maduro In 1999, US imposed sanctions now US helping descendants Indigenous Peoples, Latin America Thousands, thousands, thousands, seeking US asylum, humans, Northern South America, Middle East where are children of both sides, Israel, Hamas?
Where is Ojai?


Southern Mexico, to Jungles, from Mountains, Amazon, to Andes
What to do: How do we keep Deluge of peoples from wandering into the US? Sarse History we seek Restrain thousands onslaught of Russia into Ukraine, crossing to free, Yet detained, kept Away, People? Sacred Mountains Northern California, South seeking Spanish Speaking, Where to place people Seeking asylum? Shasta, Lassen Volcanic, Southern California, Ojai my final resting place, Father's greatest fishing depression.
The nested White Pine, Douglas Fir the hardest sought,
Arizona, New Mexico, Even conservative Texas, to what? Nothing. Blight, starvation, Jobs are taken, hate Spanish speaking,There Is no Buddha Deportations where? Old Mexico, Republic to Venezuelans' Packing Plants,
Asia in Chaos as things become scarce, China in 21st Century, When
Buddha Life in North America, Gengokoan where all must finally sing, my
High Temple in Pine Mountain, Lions Camp, straight Ojai Thich
Nhat Hanh, Little, good nature, Thay our teacher, 14th Dalí Lama Tibetan,
Korea, Europe, Prime Minister of Nepal, all His Holiness, even our Genuine
Purity given disabled with international, computers, Japan, Chiba, Cities,
All the World is our Temple in our Buddha Lotus Sutra. AI,
The final words, all nations in Africa, where are
Children of Albert Schweitzer? Where is Clover?
Edward Libby planned our town center, as a four-old-boy, I walked
The deserted streets, peopled in Ojai, Found in Ojai, Vietnam.
Peaceful people, I lived there my first six years, my destiny, Ojai.

Charles Taylor, Gassho, Tai Shi
sat/lah
Gassho
Great Bows

[Tai Shi]

This poem was to include Latin American influences that seldom rise to be written in any Poetry, the work geared to those Indigenous People of California, anf Latin America who contributed to my little town of Ojai, California where I spent the first 6 years of my life, and where I found a great beginning, and the rest moves through Glacial History of several areas, including Ojai. When one returned to this town, it no longer defamed others because of two brave men Krishnamoorthi, and Thich Nhat Hanh, there being reference to His Holiness the 14th Dali Lama from Tibet, and though Krishnamoorthi is not exility mentioned, his presence is a given as he lived and preached his doctrine of peace. These three men represent new vistas of Loving Kindness, and the Buddha,

[Kokuu]

This poem was to include Latin American influences that seldom rise to be written in any Poetry, the work geared to those Indigenous People of California, anf Latin America who contributed to my little town of Ojai, California where I spent the first 6 years of my life, and where I found a great beginning, and the rest moves through Glacial History of several areas, including Ojai. When one returned to this town, it no longer defamed others because of two brave men Krishnamoorthi, and Thich Nhat Hanh, there being reference to His Holiness the 14th Dali Lama from Tibet, and though Krishnamoorthi is not exility mentioned, his presence is a given as he lived and preached his doctrine of peace. These three men represent new vistas of Loving Kindness, and the Buddha,

[Tai Shi]

My Buddhist Confusion

Kami, deva, shinto, dukkha
Kamakura, tendai guardians
Zen emerged very early,
Shakyamuni Buddha
Eight hundred years Soto Zen
In Japan Koso Dogen Zenji
Kaizen Zenji, Taisan Zenji,
Paleolithic, Neolithic,
Zen not much like now.
Sitting Bull made to dance
At his slaughter, one man
Think this great chief
Of his people. Teapot Dome
Scandal, where was US
To breath in 1920?
There was oil in Wyoming
Albert Fall, petroleum rights
Hundreds of Thousands of dollars
Bribe money under Harding
Wyoming rights, gone sour.
What was this to Conservatives
In the roaring 20s, to Great
Depression, Hoover social
Engineer, ordinary Lay people
Of Jodo Shinshu, ordinary
Forty temples in America,
Railroad workers ordinary
Buddha to Hawaii sixty temples,
Buddhism even Suzuki the other
Nationalist, gone into Southern
California, Doctrine of aggression
Where does love San Francisco
Shiro Suzuki, Little Suzuki
Big Suzuki took doctrine
Loving Kindness, sitting
Meditation, after the Great
War Samurai, Matsudaira,
Tokugawa ieyasu, Suzuki Shosan
Age 42 to become, Rensai,
Zen, Mish mash From China
To San Francisco, Beats spread
Popular Culture 1976 Big
Little, When beginning
This spread to those seeking
Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind
Lectures, not cohesion.
When great master
Laid down died in Peace
Beside this water.
Zen was there many
Temples throughout landed
Poets, Artists, ordinary Lay
People, Zen was always
As Bosho of Lay members
Morality, Who practiced
Precepts, not Clergy.
Clergy present not
In San Francisco but thorough
Out Land, ever present.
Not just where popular
Culture existed, zazen.
In 2022, 100 years Soto
Zen in America,
1922, now looking back
Two Temples, Kyoji Namu Shakyamuni
Butsu, Buddha, Okyo,
our chant, Find in Buddha
Hanyo Shingo, Shushoji,
Rev Iso Sobe, 1922
Zenshuji Mission Los Angeles
First Zen in North America
Dispatching Priests from training
Day and Night zazen,



Gassho
Tai Shi

[Tai Shi]

I am stepping back from writing poetry on the threads. I need to give you space to write. Indeed, the threads were never meant to be the showcase for my poetry; that, they have become, nor that I ever I established them just for me. Please try your hand at poetry. Even simplest poetry can succeed. Not just my poems but always your poetry. I will limit myself; two a week or maybe the only poems not quitting , or maybe just something about a recognized published poet. Now I will not publish my own poetry as much as you might, I hope to stand back a little, so pleases make your poems. Be kind to yourselves. There are lots of reasons to publish poetry here. As always they remain only your poetry. You automatically own copyright with your name on the poem. This is a place to experiment and if you have trouble with typing, dictate and be vocal, or have someone copy the poem into the space. For those of you who don't know, you must scroll down to the end of the page to write, or insert a poem.. Do not be afraid to try your hand, (hands), here, and take flight with the joy of writing. Experiment here. I tell you that anywhere is here, keeping in mind decorum, your poetry is your poetry in these places for our Forum. You cannot make a mistake. Poetry in the marked places is always read, and only positive encouragement, please.
Gassho
Tai Shi

[Jundo]

You poetry is lovely, TS.

Don't feel you must stop.

Gassho, J

stlah

[Tai Shi]

Sea Ice Melting

Being, becoming, swimming with sight,
I linger in salt, I linger in caves
Of withering fear, I am seventy-two,
Right into waves of my mind,

I retreat, some wisdom of sharks
Of fishes that swim into sea waves,
Slipping through one's own common hunt,
My difficult nature returns.

My wings above blue sea remind me
Of other beings. Birds I could devour--flocks
Disappear into rain of clouded sky. My only
Desire to think, I'm extinct. My thoughts hidden,

Dropping to only oceans, I strike without
Thinking, being my nature, neglected as
Small, I am taught by my friends, lunging
I miss, without being,

Wonder of food, is my essence aggressive?
Capturing everything, I need prey. Knowing
I was born to swim in circles as I hunt
For everything, I'm without defiance,

Not enemy to food, my kindness capturing,
Stealth, deceiving being instinct, part
Of My invisible coalition. Sharks by nature
Next floating with humans on board, where

Do I strike into flesh, these creatures
Floating with intent, defenceless make
My leather-like clothing as hard as skin, tasteless,
Bite,at their boat floating into difficult water.

One of these creatures avoiding sharks,
Avoiding even waves of destruction. I know
How to stealthily destroy their kind,
Predator, not in wonder, mindfulness avoided,

In danger, apart from my nature, bread
Into element deep, something destructive
I cannot keep space--what would I witness
Other than fishes. I lunge to capture.

How could I leering sink like another
Entering sadness, sea creatures, pleasant
Anomaly, beautiful, I'm lunging
Swallowing, slither toward voids, bigger prey,

Wondering what made me this incarnation?
Part of my predatory being, may I change,
This felt desire? if this is my wisdom, giving
Some hope, some realization.

My peace from endless attack none seeing
My desire to angle my foes from my leather
Where there are wallets, shoes, gloves as I strike?
Wonder as born, neglected as wild, simple

As brain sought to destroy. Gang of younger
Thieves, stalking, I consider deep into nest
Of deception, like mouth of sword closing
On creatures, sad sharks sink into deep water.

Let me change meditation in still water. Vast
Is sea wave, covering my childhood.
I was in damaged by wilderness, parents,
Karma of previous life making my-- Deception is done.

Gassho
Tai Shi
Sat/ deep bows/ lah

[Onkai]

Gassho, Onkai
Sat lah

[Tai Shi]

Stafford's "A Way of Writing"
California State University, Dominguez Hills


A Way of Writing. by William Stafford. A writer is not so much someone who has something to say as he is someone who has found a process that will bring about ...
People also ask
What does Stafford say about writing?
A writer is not so much someone who has something to say as he is someone who has found a process that will bring about new things he would not have thought of if he had not started to say them.

Famous deceased Poet William Stafford won many national awards, and was the Poet Laurette of the US during his life. This is not a lengthy term of responsibility.

[Onkai]

The link didn't work, but the quote resonated with me. I don't write poetry now, but it's true for fiction and journaling as well. Thank you, Tai Shi.

Gassho, Onkai
Sat lah

[Tai Shi]

Onkai, you have to forgive Stafford because he’s not just referring to boys but girls too. He was a child of the 50s and 60s. He was poet Laureate of the US Library of Congress and won many national awards. His most famous poem is Traveling Through the Dark.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Onkai]

Tai Shi, I missed that the pronoun was masculine. So much has changed since the 1950's and '60's! Thank you for your sensitivity to that.

Gassho, Onkai
Sat lah

[Tai Shi]

I stand in awe of contemporary poets like and as WS Merwin and William Stafford. I wrote to Stafford while writing in my MFA workshops. He was a Kansas poet, an man like me. He wrote back that I should keep writing because my poetry held great promise. I am an Iowa poet, a South Dakota poet. I had enclosed a five poem portfolio of recent poetry I had written Stafford, he wrote back as he encouraged many young poets. I was 37. WS Merwin was one of the greatest poets of the 20th century writing into the 21st century up until his death in 2018 (?). He received many national awards including for Migration which won the National Book Award around 2001, (correct me with the dates.) He is considered a Buddhist poet. His poetry not only includes many poems which predict a dangerous time for humanity, but many optimistic poems. Like Stafford, he does see hope for humanity though a dire future. Perhaps we can pull ourselves out of this bag. He purchased 20 acres of desolate land in Hawaii and restored it. Then he planted this area with many endangered "palm species." Look at my optimistic poetry. I mean to keep writing until my death. I am 72, and was never expected to live this long. I have been writing since I was 15, ah but I have thrown away many good poems, and I have a good portfolio of poems from workshops and publications before I had tried to write seriously in 2008. I received my MFA creative writing/poetry in 1990 from Colorado State University with 3.9 GPA, at that time I had published about 60 poems in little magazines and small publications including The Connecticut Review, and The Sierra Journal. Thanks to great friends like Kyosui and other people here at Treeleaf I am alive. Many great people including an anonymous man who saved my life in 1976. I know this time because of the Bicentennial of the US. That fall after a horrific spring, I took the Psychology course at a community college which propelled me into the changes that saved my life again. Never give up. I discovered Suzuki Roshi then. I was 24-years-old. I own a first edition of Zen Mind, Beginner Mind and of Be Here Now by Ram Das because of that Psychology course. Indeed, it was a different time. Never give up hope.

Gassho
Tai Shi

[Onkai]

Gassho, Onkai
Sat lah

[Tai Shi]

Why is she older than her 23 years?
She Was Different

She was 23. Died, Older than her bones
Her bones were 23; her bones are older
Then she smiles, older than she tastes
Our beloved daughter, it happend.
Her bones older than the sun beautiful,
Older. Then 93,000,000 miles away, Older,
Older than the earth, 24 hours a day,
5 billion years. It’s okay to be as old as the sun.

Quietly at first because sound 700,
Light years, 283,000 miles a second, stage
A bomb cloud at 25,000 feet, B29 as old as her
Bones are her bones, Here bones belong
Where is flux, what sucks, what? What Runs
To Muck, much to my surprised with surprise,
Heroshima, invisible. Destroyed in moments
Beautiful, she is different, after sees Hiroshima
She becomes that's why she does stink
Not is green, super orange, red, or yellow,
Not Smelling like fried rice, fried death,
Rice not coming from China, not realizes
She is not Chinese, she came to Heroshima
After this bomb, which bombs? The Atomic bomb

Turned everything to ash, which looked
Like bones, like tangled snow, powered
Bones, ash from bones, old bones, snow epicenter
Vaporized human beings, Where then bomb
Fell, encrusted child lay on this ground, shell
Of clothing, nothing inside, just shape of children
Girl, or boy no one could tell except that those children,
Before 8:15 local time; shining somewhat malnourished
Child, scarcity of food meant that that child ate no
Breakfast that morning, then at 8:16 that child
Was a shell of carbon and a handful of ash, ashes
That would be shadows of little girls or boys
No one could tell of these, less than 2% of uranium
235 exploded 15000 tons of TNT went off
Immediately, all at once. Radiation H bombs much bigger
Could flatten a city 18 miles radius from epicenter,


Does the fundamental Buddhist principle of all
People being good deep down inside apply to soldiers?
Who fires on opposing soldiers? How do we offer mercy
To those caught in the fireball of an atomic bomb?
What's this goodness of the pilot and bombadear?
New B29 planes flying at 25,000 feet, dropped
The 10,000 lb bomb from the ground, tiny chute
Overwhelmed, tolerate the unknown of not knowing.
Every time I peerform pieces of play on words,
When bomb droped plane jumped ten feet,
A bomb, H bomb, so cruelty deals with substance.
Unit from Army Air Corps we do workshops With
Body with breath, of teaching about things,
All elements we as human beings, music out of
Sound way in, what out of your mouth, physics
Of throat and air, transcend human culture,
Beginning human culture, 20,000 years
In our past, 20 centuries, 100 years each,
Think of twenty years done 200 times as big,
100 years, 20 centuries. Won without fight,
One more sight of bullets; how can we
See bullets? Now, and then, then and now
More fearsome, more horrible than 80,000
People killed instantly as smoke, ash, sound
Flattens city of wooden walls with more than 100 mile
Then, 150 miles an hour. hours of winds only 2%
Of sun radiation weald sword of light,?Hhow
Could German scientists? They came to this USA
Developed 5 A bombs, of U235, then Plutonium.
These bombs closed this war, Nagasaki WW2, war 2,
Another 70,000, war to end all wars; these have
Been happening since human kind took chunk
Of bone, fragmented it upon an anonymous head.

Jump Tardive Dyskinesia fights; my nerves,
Some days I jump with the best drugs
For mental illness; that’s what came of experiments
On prisoners, Acid flash. I’m placid of accidents.
There was this Jesus, before him Buddha, I know
Both, both precepts are loving kindness for ours,
Israelites, palestine of Jesus, of Mohamed, Moses
Sons and daughters. I am an old man. Ordinary man
Charles E Taylor, November 23, 2023.

Gassho
sat/lah

[Tai Shi]

West Two then Zazen

It's easier now when I forget
To take my medicine at 5:00 a.m.
I can take it at 10:35 a.m then
I enjoyed my cup of tea, my yogurt,
My muffins, walked away

To my study for study; for
Sunday Sit. Time to sit again to spend
Another day reading and writing. There was
A time with no freedom to read and write, a little
Misty before We sit for peace again, I'm
Comfortable except my neck is killing me.

Rope of pounding pain around my neck,
It this "Robe of Liberation boundless,
Field byond form and formless..."
I remember how happy I was to memorize
After brain surgery. The rope tightens. I know
I have forgotten my mornings meds
Then The Heart Sutra. Then Zazen.

BACK TO kITCHEN MEDS FAST TO STUDY.
Sunday after Thanksgiving 2023
I thought back to 1974 as I reminisced
About the year I graduated, I sit in Zazen,
From College, the college experience

Where would I GET job with my degrees?
Back then nothing much held any promises,
My GPA, well at least I had something. Snow.

Stopped me from becoming, I sit Zazen.
I Am a Zen student. I am 72, studied
Graduate school about eight years, what was
I doing after I left Sanoma IN 1974?

HOW DID i MEET Marjorie, "in grad school"
What was I doing? I have half an hour before
I sit, let's see." I sit Zazen

Nothing. "I'm not a doctor!" I screeched
In Wes One Psychiatric Ward, then
I had good behavior after someone

Posted; Stopping by Woods on Snowy
Evening. It was three feet deep
Already, I had good behavior

For two days, I'd lost time, I didn't
Know what Day of the week it was,
This man in white coat said "Steve."

"I'm not Steve." "I'd like to talk to you
In the nurses' station." "Okay."
"We've decided to move you to

West Two." "What's West Two?"
You'll have more freedom there."

"Then one more thing. We've
Decided to let you go home
For Christmas Day. You'll return,

Of course in the evening." I sit Zazen.
"Who are you?" "I'm one
Of the medical students. I'm just here

To try and get you introduced to
The idea of going to West Two,
Assigned to your case."

"By the way I was roommates
With one of your Buddies, Jack, second
Year of med school. He is

One of my best friends,
In med school." "Tell me something.
Is my diagnosis schizophrenia?"

Words fell on the concrete
Floor like a hammer! Student
Picked them up, 10 penny nails.

"When you get to West Two,
You'll have the opportunity
To stroll those paths in beautiful woods

Behind the Psych buildings. You'll enjoy
Those nice wooded paths." "Tell me
Doc does, anyone ever walk away

From the Hospital?" "Rarely, it's
More than a mile to the road.
There's no transportation when
You get there." I sit Zazen

"Say I want to know, is my
Diagnosis Schizophrenia?"
The senior year med student

Looked sheepish, "Yes, but
You will meet your therapist
After Christmas." "Say doc
When is Christmas?"

"You don't know? It's tomorrow."
"How long have I been here?"
"Don't you know?" It's a while. You can visit
With your nurse upstairs. You're

Under court order, Why don't you
Know the date?" " "Took me right
From the office." I sit zazen
"They had established I was broke.

I have $80 in my sock drawer at home."
Can I have some of my books when I
Get to West Two? I have a great History


Of Ancient Greece." "It's doubtful
They will let you have anything except
"Your clothes, but you can go outside.

I imagine it's getting uncomfortable
In those hospital gowns. But no belt,
No shoe strings." "How do I keep

My pant's up, my shoes on." "They
Have plastic ties that fasten your
Pants and your shoes. They come off."

Say, doc my spine hurts, what is it?
"Probably anxiety. Get your Stuff
Together. The aid will get you situated

Upstairs." Out the door without another word."
When I was 40, I learned my spine had
Ankylosing Spondylitis. I sit zazen

When I got there to West Two, college
Students were singing Peter, Paul,
Mary songs. Playing guitarists. Into this
Dimmed Room, overwhelmed with size

Of West Two, the smoke swilled
Up my nose. People could smoke.
Students Opened into a chorus of Puff
The Magic Dragon. I suddenly

Was a child of four. I began to cry
No one noticed as my face got wet.
Finally another song began. It was
Christmas Eve. In the ten days

In West one. I'D LOST TRACK
Of time. "When do I get out?" "You'll
See the nurse I'll take, get your stuff,

To your room. First I've Got
To introduce to you roommates."

He hadn't noticed my face was
Wet. Grabbing tissues from the table
I dried my face as I followed him

Down to the room. As this woman
Dressed as a nurse took me by the arm
""I'll take it from here, John." I sit zazen.

She walked back to the Day Room
Where several tables were playing
Cards. As this woman led me too

A small room, a plexiglass cage, I
Was afraid. "I'll be introducing you to those
People on the ward," I sat down

Quietly in the plexiglass room.

"I'll be giving you your medication."
She handed me a paper cup and several
Pills in a SMALLER paper cup, "I'll take my pills."

I asked again. "Can I have my books HERE?"
"There's plenty to read. Besides
We will keep you busy with PT, OT, Groups
And visits with therapy and psychiatry.

Were done. Lights out at 10, Go to your room.
Pick up your things." I obediently followed
Her down the hall. "There's the bathroom.

We'll get you food from the kitchen. Any
Preference? Tuna or Chicken?" "Ah, chicken
Please" Comes with a drink and chips, decaf
Or Seven UP? "Seven up." I sit zazen.

"Here's your room. Lights out in two hours,
That closet is yours. That bed is yours."
There were two other beds. In the window

I could see snow from the streetlights,
Tight woven screens outside the plastic
Window." "Want to follow me. I'll
Get an aid to help you now."

I would get to wear my, I sit Zazen,
Clothes for a while, one hour 45 minutes before
Bed, as I finished dinner, a man
Wandered to the table where I

Was gazing at the tube. "My name
Is Bill, what's yours? Want a smoke?"
"No, I don't smoke." "You will by the
Time you leave here."
Now I am into Shikantaza.


Gassho sat/lah
Tai Shi

[Onkai]

Gassho, Onkai
Sat lah