an old writer and his words

  • OBSERVING

    He stood alone, a stoic observerin the midst of the maelstrom,deaf to the cacophony,bathed in a golden silence.This was not a gin dream, hehad let go of alcohol and drugsfor they crowded his thoughts,forced them into places henever wanted to be, his dreamsonce his holy salvation and hea penitent to Saint Morpheus, whopromised him freedom,…

    Lou Faber

  • STEP RIGHT UP

    They were lemmings aligning,ever impatient, always seeking.For some, it would be rejuvenation,for others rebirth, a recapture of youth.He was no mage, not Merlin, butthey gathered around his tablea lazy susan of desires, pleas, entreaties.All he could offer was snake oil, but theygladly took it as hope, an abiding faithin a cure for their existential condition.They…

    Lou Faber

  • BEING A PART

    He wanted, most of all, to bea part of something, butsomething that had never existed,a dissonance in an orderly universethat was slowly devolving into chaos.He was a shadow, seen only by dayand often ignored, not invisible, but nearly so.He would soon emerge from the darkness,welcome the day, the sun’s too briefappearance, his footsteps would echoa…

    Lou Faber

  • STANDING AROUND

    They said they would take a stand. They meant to take a stand but they never quite got around to taking a stand. That was the problem with taking a stand, you had to act, you had to stand. So much time passed they forgot they had said they would take a stand. Then they…

    Lou Faber

  • RYUTETSUMA’S OLD COW

    If you go beforeyour teacherhe may ask you whyyou are there.If you answerhe may turn away.If you sitsilently on the cushionand look at himhis silence and smilewill transmitthe dharma to you. A reflection on Case 60 of the Book of Equanimity (従容錄, Shōyōroku)

    Lou Faber

  • TWO INNER VOICES

    Sit still and be quiet,don’t rock the boatblend in, be wallpaper,avoid being noticedkeep your head downsay nothing, or less Let them know you are herestand outmake noise if neededtake a standsay what must be saidtake the lead that is what it comes down todo you want to beor do you want to truly live?

    Lou Faber

  • DEALING WITH IT

    How strange it was today to takethe younger of our two cars, this onesoon to be ten, but low milageby anyone’s standards,under 2,000 miles a year,to the dealer after needinga jump start on a battery lessthan a year old, and knowing froma lifetime of such visits the havocthey wreak on your wallet, and thenwaiting more…

    Lou Faber

  • UNSPOKEN

    There is so much that hewould talk about, but dare not say.He knows keeping it withinis a recipe for pain and sufferingbut letting it loose makesthat pain and suffering a certaintyfor others and he is notwilling to do that to anyone.He laughs when he wants so muchto curse language for wordsare all he has and…

    Lou Faber

  • WAITING SEASON

    He had been standing there for hoursstaring into the heavens, the cloudsa foreboding shroud promising regeneration,promising rain, promising redemption.He said to the heavens, “I loved you once,”and an ominous wind replied, “youloved yourself, nothing else mattered.”He wanted to argue but the wind, too,abandoned him and the smell of lightninghe could not yet see assaulted him.He…

    Lou Faber

  • SEIRIN’S DEADLY SNAKE

    If you go before the masterand ask himto set you on the pathto enlightenmenthe will tell youthat you have comeface to face with failureand there is no escape.If you say you areon the path, he willsmile and walkalong with you. A reflection on Case 59 of the Book of Equanimity (従容錄, Shōyōroku)

    Lou Faber