the last spring snow

the last spring snow
reminds me of ghostly things

scattered flakes 
dancing then gone

having no body yet
present by being, hardly 

--

St Louis Park

4/19/21

for digital spyglasses staring/ at digital snow

says rain and more rain

but there's no rain outside

just an electronic report 

later when it does rain

online says there's no rain outside

another bulletin and error

we say the googles and amazons 

are always right but accept

from them endless nonsense

reject natural wisdom that springs forth 

for digital spyglasses staring

at digital snow

**

SLP

4.7.21

i miss where it stands

it rains on the tree that fell over

part of a stump 

the rest of the branches trimmed

in another part of the yard

when we moved in 

the tree was dead for many years

wood smooth all the bark 

worn away 

the previous owner 

had trimmed off the longest branches

but for some reason left

the rest of the tree be

i imagined for two years

putting in bright little bird houses

or festive lights to spruce it up

have an illusion of new life

after it fell

i found out the tree

was rotten at the base 

and terribly heavy

i miss where it stands

---

SLP

4.7.21

buddha size of my mouth

buddha size of my mouth

buddha the size of my brain

buddha outside too 

morning snow melted

--

today it rains

today it rains

buddha in my mouth

by my teeth 

buddha on your arm

*

fine fine fine

i have no courage 

have no superstition

live in faith

all my beliefs 

emerge from 

direct experience

thus i am brave

every idea of mine

such a fine thing

such a fine fine thing

fine fine fine

a buddha is home/ you think you are away

 a buddha is home
you think you are away 
or the other is away
never not at home

**

a buddha / is not walking softly

a buddha
is not walking softly
or heavily 
in your head

88

Interplay of emptiness

Interplay of emptiness 

Of how things are 

And how they become 

Wind is empty so are mountains 

Wind pushes me

Mountains push me 

Rain is empty so are thoughts 

Rainfall tickles me

So do thoughts

Light is empty and so no-light

Brightness reveals

And so does the dark 

It all plays through emptiness 

Forgot to become or remembering

Impossible or always

sometimes even a shining path is laced with shadows

sometimes even a shining path is laced with shadows

place your steps carefully on the way that goes ever upward

move with purpose through every deep dale or on a wind swept ridge

where you could fall

beset by the tumult of emotions thoughts and will

all on the shining path 

***

our collective grief

our collective grief
hosted in the heart
burning candle 
night like a shrine

morning back into

the breach

88

Add the Sum to the Product of these Three

Add the sum to the product of these three:
Old Age, Sickness, and Death --
crowning the impermanence of all things;
born into the contest of Samsara.

88

this is the day oh striving hope

this is the day oh striving hope

blessed for what is full of wanting and what is not

you are the phantom in every thought

and lighting everything else dramatically

searchlight of the mind sweeping

beauty found beauty lost

always more about to be

quickly comes and goes

imperishable encouraging

— —

CM Evans

every sweet thing

every sweet thing 

footprints in your mind
trodden on endless beauty
we are accustomed to making marks

*

tell me things i don't know

tell me things i don't know
give me the surprises 
and everything i thought would never happen
show me how narrow my mind is

it is the only way 

to have a big mind by constantly 

breaking everything thought to be fixed

realizing this isn't a threat but a huge view 

then we can be like

kids again seriously at play 

and this kind of mind makes imagination's toil

rarely fail to persuade or save 

88

Will you please answer that phone

Will you please answer that phone
But if it is for me tell them I am in Africa

Discovering the true source of the Nile

Because John Hanning Speke was a liar

*

He wrote his name boldly at the top of the sheet

He wrote his name boldly at the top of the sheet
He wrote his name boldly at the bottom

He wrote his name large in the middle 

He tore the page up and started again 

**

The pleasant hours fly by much too soon

The pleasant hours fly by much too soon

If we are enamored with drudgery 

So move lightly from task to task 

Never let one own you 

*

The man went to the woods to gather sticks

The man went to the woods to gather sticks

Instead he found the woods 

He was happy to wander all day 

He came home with a leaf in his hat 

***

The heap of fallen leaves was set on fire

The heap of fallen leaves was set on fire

The smoke drifted up into the sky

When flames reached wetness and damp

There'd be hissing and puffs of blue smoke 

***