Sunday, May 08, 2022
TEN OLD MONK POEMS (66)
IF YOU DON'T KNOW
If you don't know
the answer,
explore the question,
the old monk told
the students just
before the test.
~
THIS IS WAY MORE
This is way more
about the body
than I want it to be,
the old monk said
when the master
told him to exercise.
~
EVEN ON TUESDAY
Even on Tuesday
the angels were still talking,
the old monk noticed.
~
YOU SAY ANYTHING
You say anything
because you think it's
better than nothing,
the old monk scolded
his students.
I have that problem,
too, he added.
~
THE GREAT HAWK WATCHES
The great hawk watches --
that I can promise,
the old monk told the students.
You can tell by the light.
~
THE HERMITS
The hermits
on the mountain
do for fun
what we do
for business,
the old monk said.
~
IT'S ALMOST AS IF
It's almost as if
the universe
doesn't matter --
only the emtpiness
between the stars,
the old monk said.
~
LOVE WHAT YOU LOVE
Love what you love
while you have it --
the mountain is not kind,
the old monk said.
~
IF YOU THINK
If you think
you can understand
what he's thinking
by what he says
you'll be sadly
mistaken,
the master said
about the old monk.
~
YOU WILL NOT KNOW
You will not know the way
when the journey takes you.
You only know the way
when you turn for home,
the old monk said.
~
