an old writer and his words

  • CHŌSHA’S RETURNING TO MOUNTAINS

    When you see a mountainwhy must you climb itwith your eyes.When you heara mighty river whymust you ford itwith your ears,when you feel the earthwhy must you touchit with your feet?Are younot the mountaindoes the river runthrough you, as yourun through it, areyou not the earth? A reflection on Case 16 of the Shobogenzo (Dogen’s…

    Lou Faber

  • BALLET OF THE GODS

    Once they pierced your heelsto hobble you, bound upfeet and ankles to lashyou to the earth, there weren’tangels then, no wings, just the painof toes crushed inward,the silent agony of motion,a cruel joke played by godsstarved for entertainment.But Terpsichore, hearingErato’s song, set them freebrought them to a pointe,allowed them to take winglessflight, and toes became…

    Lou Faber

  • NANSEN CUTS THE CAT 無門關 十四

    Thirty blows of the stickif right, thirty blowsif wrong, or Namsen’s swordand a severed cat a half to eacha whole to none Be thankful youdidn’t argue about a manfor with a shoeon the head, your feetmay touch the sky. A reflection on Case 14 of the Mumonkan (Gateless Gate Koans)

    Lou Faber

  • NANSEN’S ORDINARY MIND 無門關 十九

    Why seek the way? Would yo?. Where is the way? You are standing on it Which way does it lead? Ask your feet. A reflection on case 19 of the Mumonkan (The Gateless Gate Koans)

    Lou Faber

  • RIVER

    I know I should find a river and just sit on its banks and stare at the water flowing I don’t have to step in it once to know I couldn’t step in twice if I wanted, so that problem’s solved. And with dry feet, I can walk along its banks with a bit more…

    Lou Faber

  • WALKING

    He walks slowly, with a stoop, born of time or knowledge of a world that has seeped away. He smiles, but you cannot tell if it is at the worm slowly crossing the sidewalk, or the young woman pulling on the leash of her far too large dog. He could walk this route with his…

    Lou Faber

  • FUNYO’S WALKING STICK

    A fool may say I have been many places in search of true Zen and have found it here and there, go look. The feet of the fool have been all of those places but have the wisdom to stay silent. A Reflection on case 21 of the Iron Flute Koans

    Lou Faber

  • FINALLY FALLING

    Outside the snow finally falls and presses the last fallen Maple leaves into the ground free, for now from the rake. Outside the snow finally falls and for a few hours November is redeemed and my shoes are suddenly inadequate even on the half plowed road. Outside the snow finally falls and the full moon…

    Lou Faber

  • MASTER CRAFTSMAN

    He waited patiently in the queue until, after two and one half hours he approached the battered metal counter. The young, bored woman, chewing at her gum asked the usual question, have you looked hard for work this last week? I stood in many lines, for hours on end in my battered old shoes, that…

    Lou Faber

  • TO THE SEA

    Today I would like to walk to the river, fashion a boat from a sheet of paper, and set off on it to a far distant sea. Most would think me crazy, but most see only the water flowing by under the bridge, and not the sea that lies out of sight beyond the horizon,…

    Lou Faber