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GUTEI RAISES A FINGER 無門關 三
One finger,a moment Guteione finger, that wayone finger, unity what have you learnedone finger,cut off,a moment in all directions no direction but stilla unity. A reflection on Case 3 of the Mumonkan 無門関 (The Gateless Gate Koans)
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AND THEN
My Buddhism teaches me that Ishould be in this moment,present in an infinitesimally smallbit of time, always here, never staying.This morning my back had an issuewith me, and made its displeasure known.Pain fills moments, elongates themand time ever moving appears to slow,to grind along, almost to a halt.Would that pleasure might do the samebut it…
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BECAUSE
The older man walks slowly downthe beach, each foot carefully placedto find a purchase the waves would take away.He shields his eyes from the sun, ignoresthe myriad shells the ocean offers up,does not bother to hear the song of the wavesthat soon will erase all evidenceof his presence here today.He walks along this beach becauseothers…
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SCHWARZCHILD’S GARDEN OF VERSE
In the spaceof a momenta universecan be engulfedlight pours forthfrom a black holesuns riseover the event horizonspace curves inon itselfuntil it is yesterdaySchrodinger’s catfeasts on Albert’s twinsthe diceare just out of reach. First appeared in Litmora Literary Magazine, Issue 5 – Beyond the Cosmoshttps://www.litmoralitmag.com/faber-two-pieces
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INCOGNITO
Cities allow an anonymitythat few who have itclaim to want,and those who cannotfind it only wishto briefly have it.Cities have mastered juxtaposition,offering what is unwanted,taking that which is.But we choose to livein cities, visit them,for they are our sirensand we are simple sailorsalways looking for home.
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HOW COULD YOU?
How could you turn your backon Judaism, he asked, as thoughit was a shadow I was trying to outrun.I do not tell him that if his Godwants me to take it up againGod needs only ask me personally,but far too many claim who to be his messengerhave led me to the place I find myself.I…
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HYAKUJO’S FOX 無門關 二
The old, crippled foxcrawled slowly from the mouthof the dark cave. Sidling up to Hayakujothe old monk said to fox,“think fox, useno mind to thinkno thing. Fox paused in reflection.Cremated bones, fleshand fur were lovingly buriedin a monk’s funeral. A reflection on Case 2 of the Mumonkan 無門関 (The Gateless Gate Koans)
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REVERBERATION
The echo of lovemay have a longer decaythan the moment giving it birth.Ever fainter by desire or spiteit remains limpet-like graspingas if the inexorable fadingcan be stilled by arising memories.Once the bonds are brokenit can remain an artifact, a momentvalued in itself evenwhen the source is no longerpresent or wanted, for itremains woven deeply intothe…
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COLLECTIVE
Don’t listen when people talkabout collective memories. We both know it is hard enoughremembering what you experienced and in the recalling we add filtersto bend it to how we wish it was. If there were a collective memoryhow could you despise the immigrant who only wants the better lifethat we talk about so much. You…
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HAIKU
The harvest mooncaresses the still pondsleeping peacefully When you sit atopthe peak of the mountainevery step is down ibis move asideat the Great Egret’s demandavian order