an old writer and his words

  • SATURDAY, OF COURSE

    On a quiet Sunday morning, my cappuccinoin equal measures gone and cooling, Ipaused to consider the mug on the tableadjacent to mine, alone, uncared about. It stared back at me, from its perchon the coaster pedestal on which ithad been placed so carefully, a bevyof faces holding my eye trying to tell me what? It…

    Lou Faber

  • NEXT IN LINE

    It was the moment they said, we picked you, that I knew they had not. They thought they had to say it. They knew they shouldn’t. I was the next gumball down the chute. You put in your nickel, move the lever and wait. Actually it wasn’t quite like that. If you don’t like the…

    Lou Faber

  • THE GIRL COMES OUT 無門關 四十二

    She sits undisturbedShakyamuni by her side.You can wave at her, shewill pay you no mind. You cannot grasp her mindand maintain a holdon your own, you will growdeaf from the chatterbut a child can curlat her feet and shewill stroke his foreheadin perfect Samadhi. A reflection on case 42 of the Mumonkan (Gateless Gate) koans.

    Lou Faber

  • AN E-TALE

    I have been repeatedly toldby many that in this hyper-electronic age, the best way, ifnit the only way, for the little guyto buy and sell is online. I’m not one to argue soI decided to try it, and quicklylearned that Amazon hadcornered the market on salesso Craigslist was my best hope. I also learned that…

    Lou Faber

  • STRANGE NIGHT

    It was a most unusual nightin the city, and a surprising numberof its residents took note of thatwhich in itself was unusual. By 2:00 A.M., those awake andthose who had awakenedstrained to hear it, but therewas nothing at all, no sounds to which they had becomeso accustomed, and some imaginedthey had been transportedfrom the city…

    Lou Faber

  • IN THE WETLANDS

    Walking through a nature preservelike Wakodahatchee Wetlands youmust always keep a sharp eye. The birds are everywhere, they areunavoidable and even the alligators,imagining themselves coy are soon enough easily recognized,snouts appear just above the surfacewary eyes scanning the shore. Here you are also surroundedby poems, but they are far moreable to hide, among the eggs…

    Lou Faber

  • SENSELESS

    You place the shroudover my head,it is dark, but Ican still touch her cheek. You cut offmy fingers, leavingonly stumps, but Ican still taste her tears. You pull outmy tongue, there isonly bitterness, but Ican hear her morning laugh. You drown mein a sea of noisenothing breaks the din, but Ismell her sweetness. You fill…

    Lou Faber

  • POETS GATHER

    One deep and abiding beauty of dreamsis that it is entirely logical forMarina Tsvetaeva to be engagedIn an animated discussion withCorso and Ginsberg where none willacknowledge that the world theywrote and imagined is a total mess. Over in the corner, Mandelstam andReznikoff have agreed that for eternityevery game of chess they play willresult in a…

    Lou Faber

  • MIRROR IMAGE

    Each morning when I lookinto the mirror I imagineI see me, but of course thatis impossible, for in that momentonly the mirror sees meand I see the mirror. How deluded I must beto assume that I look at alllike the mirror, but it is,I know, just such delusionsthat enable my sense of self,and that is…

    Lou Faber

  • TWO MONKS ROLL UP THE BLINDS 無門關 二十六

    Both are askedto bring more lightinto the hall. Together eachrolls up his shade.One’s action is gainone’s action is loss there is only one shadethere is only one light. aA reflection on case 26 of the Mumonkan (Gateless Gate) koans.

    Lou Faber