an old writer and his words

  • FLIGHT

    Feathers openedfingers extendedwings unfurledarms outstretchedhead poised skyward, thenhead poised skyward lifting up into a sun filled skydreaming of impossible flight.

    Lou Faber

  • PERSPECTIVE

    It is always, the artist told me,a question of angles and elevations,but I am sure that was just his perspective. Dali threw all of that out, madea pretty good living at taking perspectiveout of his work, replaced by fluidity. For Dali that fluidity resultedin a fair bit of liquidity, which wasan irony not the least…

    Lou Faber

  • DAITSU CHISHO BUDDHA 無門關 九

    Twenty thousand generationsa hundredhundred livesthe briefest momentin being, there isno becoming, no leaving and nothing is attainedfor there is no needof attainment, Seijowhispered tono one. A reflection on Case 9 of the Mumonkan (The Gateless Gate Koans)

    Lou Faber

  • DUST AND ASHES

    Between Scylla and Charybdisthey cower amidst the ruinsfearful to look skywardlest they encouragethe rains of hell. Now and then they visitthe corpses, hastily buriedgrief drowned by the soundof the laugh of the gunnerpeering down from the hills.It is always night for the souland lookout must be keptfor Charon, who ridessilently along the rivers of blood,that…

    Lou Faber

  • ADAM SMITH BE DAMNED

    It is odd to discoverthat time obeys the economiclaws of supply and demandbut as I have aged, thathas become ever more clearas my supply has dwindled,my demand remains constantand the value increases accordingly. That may explain why, now,I am content to check the scoresand read the stats of my favoritefootball or baseball team, getting every…

    Lou Faber

  • TOKUSAN’S ULTIMATE TEACHING 鐵笛倒吹 七十九

    If the student asks the teacherfor greater knowledgehe will be metwith a blow from the stick.If he asks againthe teacher will respondI have nothing to give you. Will you recognizethe greatest giftwhen it is offered to youor will you continueto pursue its shadow. A reflection on Case 79 of the Iron Flute koans.

    Lou Faber

  • ENSLAVED

    We were six hours out of Tokyosomewhere over the North Pacific.My back was cramped, calf musclesknotted, longing for sleepthat would not come, the movierolling out in sullen silence.I wait for the night to pass, for lightto break in through the cracksaround the pulled shadessome small reminder that dayand freedom await, but the sunremains outside, knowing…

    Lou Faber

  • IN SEARCH OF

    The cat stares down from her new perch atop the living room bookcase. She watches us move about, wondering where she might be. She can tell we are getting increasingly frantic in our search as she is new here, and we are adapting to each other still. We look behind everywhere she might hide, but…

    Lou Faber

  • TAILORING

    My adoptivegrandfather could take bitsof cloth, a needle, threadand with magiclygnarled fingerscreate a garmentfit for royalty, to be wornby the old womanliving in the walkup down the street. I take wordsbits of ideasand hope,and with manicured fingerscreate whatI can only hopepasses for poetryto be ignoredby thoseliving nearbyin my suburb.

    Lou Faber

  • SUIBI’S MEANING

    If you ask how can one find the wayI will take youinto the gardento look at the roses.Each rose isof a different sizeand color, but whichis of the right sizeand which the right shade? A reflection on Case 71 of the Shobogenzo (Dogen’s True Dharma Eye)

    Lou Faber