Poem to Palestinian Mothers yesterday in response to a picture of rockets landing on children and families, supported by the government of the USA:
trails of smoke
falling into my village
not the trails of angels but of violence
against my family, my neighbors even those I do not get along with
why?
Why?
why?
trails of smoke from the rockets
marked by the USA
sold to the killing nation of Israel
to kill the innocents
trails of smoke in the sky
run for cover
pray for peace, yes, peace
and maybe quiet...
To take refuge in the Buddha means acknowledging the seed of enlightenment that is within ourselves, the possibility of freedom. It also means taking refuge in those qualities which the Buddha embodies; qualities like fearlessness, wisdom, love and compassion.
Taking refuge in the Dharma means taking refuge in the law, in the way things are; it is acknowledging our surrender to the truth, allowing the Dharma to unfold within us.
Taking refuge in the Sangha means taking support in the community, in all of us helping one another towards enlightenment and freedom.
(From my work at Fox Lake, Red Granite & New Lisbson Correctional Institutions with the Sanghas' )
Not Listening
Everyone is talking…into plastic
Not talking to others, not living
Turn it off…
See eye ball to eye ball
Belly button to belly button
Be human not digital
Love, baby love! 6/17/06 NYC koshin
Though there is no use in placing our hopes on a totally utopian new world in which everyone is sublimely merciful, we are obliged as Christians to seek some way of giving the mercy and compassion of Christ a social, even a political, dimension. The eschatological function of mercy, we repeat, is to prepare the Christian transformation of the world, and to usher in the Kingdom of God. This Kingdom is manifestly "not of this world" (all forms of millennial and messianic Christianity to the contrary), but it demands to be typified and prepared by such forms of heroic social witness that makes Christian mercy plain and evident in the world....
Christian mercy must discover, in faith, in the Spirit, a power strong enough to initiate the transformation of the world into a realm of understanding, unity and relative peace, where [humankind], nations and societies are willing to make the enormous sacrifices required if they are to communicate intelligibly with one another, understand one another, cooperate with one another in feeding the hungry millions and in building a world of peace.
Thomas Merton. Love and Living. Naomi Burton Stone and Brother Patrick Hart, editors. (New York: Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich, 1979): 219.
Thought for the Day
Mercy heals in every way. It heals bodies, spirits, society, and history. It is the only force that can only heal and save.
Love and Living: 216
THIRTY TWO YEARS, since you graced this earth
what a trip this has been
Japan, Tenn.. the world has seen your beauty,
your grace and your smarts
I am blessed to be your Dad
Adia - a gift from God, all the time
a Muslim/Swale (sp) name
that fits you perfectly
like the reality of this world
diverse in its creation and beauty,
you hold all in who you are
a fine mother
who loves and cares for her
two angels (angels, most the time, ha ha)
who cares for others be fore yourself,
without a doubt
We are proud of you Adia
love you and want only the best for you
have a great day, a great year towards #33
know your Daddy loves you Adia,
Karen loves you,
all the family loves you,
in fact, all the world loves you,
your Adia, a GIFT from God!
Welcome to this vast universe Liv Mary
we can't wait to meet you, hold you
and tell you how much you are loved
your parents are a wonderful pair
you three will have fun
on this journey called life
we are excited with all your couzins
uncles and aunts grandpa's and grandma's
President Obama is happy you are HERE too!
Have a great second day on earth
hi to your mom and dad
we love you Liv Mary, grandma Karen and grandpa Bob
from the cold but warm home in the woods
looking forward to your visit here some time...
see ya in Brooklynnnnnnn
Sent by email Sat Morn, 012409
012009
I bet you enjoy a beautiful sunset or sun rise, I do
During these winter days, short as they are trying to grow longer\
The sun, shinning through the bare tree and pines,
Looking for a family of deer or other forms of nature that reminds us
Daily, they were here first.
I am trying to get hold of a feeling, an emotion, a sense
The kind that brings tears to your eyes for no reason,
At least not sadness or loss…
I watch the tube, the TV, the HD whatever it has become
I see what is happening on the Mall in DC
The joy, the high emotions, the diversity in the crowd
And I am moved to tears, not unlike the beauty of this creation
Brings us too often…
This is not foolishness,
Or a feeling brought by the moment itself, but much more…
It is a real feel, a sense...
A sense of hope, of "we can", things "might" change…
Now what they ask?
Who knows!
The Buddha is helpful here for all
Live in the moment ko shin, everyone, not in illusions of the future
Or running from the past…
Skillful and un Skillful come to mind…
Will we act skillfully in all we do as citizens, government, administration?
Or continue a seemingly conscious program of unskillful actions, actions of violence, torture,
And distrust…
Maybe that is the feel, the sense, I am pointing to in myself,
I believe in this moment, this hope is real
I hope you do too.
Not for the feel-good but for the future of the earth!
"may I have your right hand" the guard in the lobby asks me as I enter,
Not the senior dance, but the prison blocks, to be checked at least twice until I leave…
Sitting in silence, in zazen, with my dharma brothers, while the world celebrates
A new time.
When will their new time come?
Yes, when they learn to be skillful in all the do, say and think…
Yet, are we housing people who did unskillful things and hurt folks
Or, like our government, our nation, our communities
Are we willing to empower transformation with all the risk that takes?
Zazen, meditation, silence, focus on the breath, quiet is what finally creates the new earth.
Not the magic of an outside force or spirit
But grasping, now, in ourselves the spirit that is us, our being.
I reflect on President Obama, what do I see?
I see a human being who has grasped his being, at least for this moment…
Oh, that you and I can follow that model,
Not for perfection, but for skilful means, actions and peace.
It is time to listen to our spirits my sisters and brothers of this wonderful and troubled universe,
We are beginning again, and again, and again…
Peace…ko shin,
012809 edited a bit
beginning again and again, inside the cell, outside in our own cells…..
I bet you enjoy a beautiful sunset or sun rise, I do
During these winter days, short as they are trying to grow longer\
The sun, shinning through the bare tree and pines,
Looking for a family of deer or other forms of nature that reminds us Daily, they were here first.
I am trying to get hold of a feeling, an emotion, a sense
The kind that brings tears to your eyes for no reason,
At least not sadness or loss…
I watch the tube, the TV, the HD whatever it has become
I see what is happening on the Mall in DC
The joy, the high emotions, the diversity in the crowd
And I am moved to tears, not unlike the beauty of this creation
Brings us too often…
This is not foolishness,
Or a feeling brought by the moment itself, but much more…
It is a real feel, a sense...
A sense of hope, of "we can", things "might" change…
Now what they ask?
Who knows!
The Buddha is helpful here for all
Live in the moment ko shin, everyone, not in illusions of the future
Or running from the past…
Skillful and un-Skillful come to mind…
Will we act skillfully in all we do as citizens, government, administration?
Or continue a seemingly conscious program of unskillful actions, actions of violence, torture, And distrust…
Maybe that is the feel, the sense, I am pointing to in myself,
I believe in this moment, this hope is real
I hope you do too.
Not for the feel-good but for the future of the earth!
"may I have your right hand" the guard in the lobby asks me as I enter,
Not the senior dance, but the prison blocks, to be checked at least twice until I leave…
Sitting in silence, in zazen, with my dharma brothers, while the world celebrates
A new time.
When will their new time come?
Yes, when they learn to be skillful in all they do, say and think…
Yet, are we housing people who did unskillful things and hurt folks
Or, like our government, our nation, our communities
Are we willing to empower transformation with all the risk that takes?
Zazen, meditation, silence, focus on the breath, quiet is what finally creates the new earth.
Not the magic of an outside force or spirit coming in to fix it for us,
Bur we are the fixers in our own being,
But grasping, now, in ourselves the spirit that is us, our being.
I reflect on President Obama, what do I see?
I see a human being who has grasped his being, at least for this moment…
Oh, that you and I can follow that model,
Not for perfection, but for skilful means, actions and peace.
It is time to listen to our spirits my sisters and brothers of this wonderful and troubled universe,
We are beginning again, and again, and again…
Peace…ko shin,
We search and pray for balance
In all things in our lives
in the life of our world.
Peace is all we search for
even when it seems impossible
when will we learn?
when will we learn?
I often find the quite of the place I dwell,
almost unreal, so quiet, so beautiful,
when others must look out for violence entering their space...
where is our balance as a world?
leaders bragging they broke the laws of human rights, tortured others in our name,
and we do nothing, our new leaders seem to do nothing...
we see it happening the we argue about arguing
when will we learn?
where is the balance?
oh, it is here, where? you ask
search in your heart, that light, the Buddha within
yes, the balance comes, the peace begins with me,
with you, with the Sangha, the community of spirit,
whatever the path...begin to live your path for, in, peace...
early morning, Jan. 13, 2009, tons of light, quiet snow, and the winds of peace, ko shin
thoughts become words
behavior,
habit,
values,
destiny
woman’s voices
sing ancient texts
fresh water falls
time to leave
autumn leaves falling
new life, old journey
no map, same path
no end, only rest places
the sun always comes
the leaves fall
the creatures sleep
life is grace
An orange sun sets
evening cool
everyone is mine
red pork chop
little bugs
barf
ha, what a feeling...
092602 Ann Arbor
