Sunday, October 09, 2022
TEN OLD MONK POEMS (88)
EVERYONE SAYS
Everyone says
they took the long way
when they're late,
the old monk noticed.
~
YOU CAN'T LIVE
You can't live
without the liver,
but you can live
without the onions,
there, buddy,
the comedian
told the old monk.
~
SAY WHAT IT MEANS
Say what it means --
they won't believe it
but they'll hire you,
the old monk advised
the astrologer.
~
BETWEEN TRUTH
Between truth
and not truth
there's no room
to wiggle,
the old monk said.
~
WHEN THEY ASK YOU
When they ask you
to show them
how you fly,
do your best jumping
and give them a show,
the old monk told
his student.
~
IF YOU BREAK
If you break
it -- anything --
the world changes
and cannot go back
the way it was,
the old monk said.
~
WHEN YOU SHOW
When you show
what you know
they send you to school,
the old monk warned.
~
IF THEY FALL DOWN
If they fall down
and get back up,
keep them, they'll
be good ones,
the old monk said.
~
THE WORLD CHANGED
The world changes
when the Great Mother
makes her choice --
some go on
the good pile,
the rest of us
go on the other,
the old monk said.
~
WHO BUT THE OLD MONK
Who but the old monk
would rhyme Mother
with another,
his students ask.
They shake their heads.
~
