an old writer and his words

  • SEASIDE VILLANELLE

    The ocean wind swept through the city a sudden rain washed sidewalk, shop and street, carried both dreams and sins back to the sea. For the young child, time slid by easily, life a campaign that allowed no retreat. The ocean wind swept through the city, rattled church windows, so that all could see the…

    Lou Faber

  • LISTENING TO THE FLUTE

    YAKUSAN HOLDS IT         鐵笛倒吹 十  Sit just above the peak of the highest mountain and reach up with open fingers, what will you grasp? Walk slowly across the floor of  the deepest sea, what do you see below you? If you have three daughters is any one less beautiful than the others?   JOSHU COVERS…

    Lou Faber

  • COMPASSION

    Kannon, have compassion for us, as if you could do otherwise. We don’t seek wisdom, that’s out of your department. We all seek enlightenment as if it is some neon sign around the next bend in the path. We are well-suited for rushing to unknown destinations. We would offer you prayers, but we have forgotten…

    Lou Faber

  • SCHWARZSCHILD’S GARDEN OF VERSE

    In the space of a moment a universe can be engulfed, light pours forth from a black hole, suns rise over the event horizon, space curves in on itself until it is yesterday. Shrodinger’s cat feasts on Albert’s twins and the dice are just out                    …

    Lou Faber

  • MESA

    This night in cold moonlight earth rises up clouds float down ghosts walk the margin. Old ones sing           now shall be then older ones still sing           then shall be once to wolf and coyote. This season of north winds suns heat barren spirits rise up…

    Lou Faber

  • ISSA PAUSES

    first snow of winter white coated Buddha dreaming of chrysanthemums   prayer flags unmoving in the stillness of morning summer or winter?   tomorrow is gone, yesterday has disappeared. what moment is this?

    Lou Faber

  • HUMANITY

    Each day I walk out into the sea. Each day the sea engulfs me. I cannot walk on the water, nor does the water part before me. Each day I walk out into the sea and reconfirm my humanity. In my prior life as a Corporate attorney, I was profiled in the ACC Docket, the…

    Lou Faber

  • FLOWING

      A young man stands on the bank a river and sees the water toppling over and around uncaring stones. Halfway up the slope of the great mountain an old man steps from his small hut looks down at a hawk circling the river, watching for the glint of a passing salmon. From its aerie…

    Lou Faber

  • SEAL SONG

    A young woman holds a mirror out to the sea as she sings a simple, sweet song to a cloud which lingers overhead. You want to ask her about this but you are afraid – afraid that she will forget the song and the small cloud that is your only shade will slip into the…

    Lou Faber

  • BAREFOOT

    He says his favorite clouds all wear size seven shoes. He knows she believes she once saw a paisley rainbow and will never forget it. She wears size seven shoes and her tears can be torrential, yet they can still nurture the first flowers of spring. He imagines her a butterfly sitting on the back…

    Lou Faber