an old writer and his words

  • AI EH?

    Please be aware that this poemwas not generated by nor wasthe writing assisted by Generative AI.The words and thoughts are mine,and mine alone so there is no machineintelligence to take the blame forwhat I might or might not say.I wanted to assure you of thisand thought of ways I could insurethat you would believe me,…

    Lou Faber

  • SOZAN’S REQUITED FILIAL PIETY

    When you set out on the pathleaving so much behind,will you continue to graspwhat you have lost or lookonly at what you havein this moment and this?If you cling to whatyou have willinglygiven up you will beforever lost in mourningwhat no longer isand frozen, unable to proceed. A reflection on Case 73 of The Book…

    Lou Faber

  • PINNING HOPES

    As a child I always avoidedpins, and not becauseI feared at all getting stuck,that could be a small badgeof courage, no my fearwas what might be onthe head of that pin or this.It was more elementalthan that, it raised an almostexistential issue that I wasnot yet prepared to deal with.But I had it on good…

    Lou Faber

  • IMAGINE THAT

    They smile although they arethe broken people, the ones to whomfate, luck or mistakes have dealta lousy hand with no way to leavethe table save with the finalall in, no winner here, bet.But they think that unimaginableand struggle on just happyto have gotten this far, this long.Many laugh freely, the brokenor missing pieces conversation starters,and…

    Lou Faber

  • HUMPTY DUMPTY IS HERE

    I wonder what you hear when Isay certain things, do you hearonly the words or do you hearthe hidden thought. For my sakeI do hope it is the former.When I say “It’s been a pleasure”do you hear “I’m so glad its over.”When I say “Let’s do it again soon”do you hear “after hell freezes over.”When…

    Lou Faber

  • I HATE THIS

    I am not a person who hatestoo many things, and fewer people.I say that in my own defense, foryou have asked me to list my hates,and no one, anywhere, save perhapsthe Dalai Lama, is free of hate.so here goes my short list.I hate polluters and those who carenot at all for the world in whichwe…

    Lou Faber

  • CHUYU’S MONKEY

    If you ask a true masterto explain enlightenmentto you, if you believehis answer, you are deludedand the master has givenyou a map to the truth.If the master says nothingand you doubt he knowsabout enlightenment, youare deluded and no mapwill set you on the path. A reflection on Case 72 of The Book of Equanimity (従容錄,…

    Lou Faber

  • TOTTERING

    The world did not collapse today,although it tottered on the edge againas it does most days in recent memory.As a child we expected the world might endunless we hid under our deskswhen the alarms went off, so littledid we know about nuclear weaponsand what could be more uselessthan a desk at or near ground zero.We…

    Lou Faber

  • SADNESS

    He never stopped to take noticethat his anger had given wayto a deep sadness, onehe felt had him trapped, searchingthrough the pain for an exitfrom a place he never imaginedhe would leave willingly.He had promised her a lifetime,a statement he took as a truthnot considering that her promise,whatever it had been, had becomeviolable, the pain…

    Lou Faber