an old writer and his words

  • BANG

    It all began with a Big Bangor that is what they wouldhave us believe, after alleverything must begin somewhere.If it did begin in thatsub-instant at some infinitely smallpoint, where was that point?There was no space for that pointto exist in, for it did not exist previouslyand anyway, space demands time,they must mutually existor neither will…

    Lou Faber

  • YAOSHAN’S “THIS BUDDHA, THAT BUDDHA”

    When you approachthe altar in the zendoto which of the two Buddhasdo you offer a bow?If you say this oneyou are wrong, butif you say that oneyou are wrong.There is only Buddha andthere are infinite Buddhas. A reflection on case 86 of Shinji Shobogenzo 真字正法眼蔵 (True Dharma Eye)

    Lou Faber

  • THIS POEM

    This poem beginswith infinitepossibility First Published in the 2005 Scars Publications Poetry Wall Calendar

    Lou Faber

  • HERE-ISH, NOW-ISH

    In this moment we, the two of us,are here in this precise placeand there are an infinite numberof places we might be.But we want to be here,just here, nowhere else.We are aging, but in this momentwe are exactly the right ageand to be younger or olderwould do nothing for us.When I curl against youas the…

    Lou Faber

  • STAGED

    At the moment of your birthmy son, I grew suddenly older,mortality became a realitythat I could no longer avoid. You could not imagine this,and I doubt others could seebut I knew and the infinitecollapsed inside the event horizon. Your brother came later, butthat death was incremental,a single cut among thousands,a step on a path you…

    Lou Faber

  • FOUR ZEN HAIKU

    myself is no selfno self is universalinfinite being emptiness surroundsall forms are illusorythis is samadhi compassion aboundsalways out of your sightuntil you live it dharmas teach nothingcontain infinite knowledgejust stop looking

    Lou Faber

  • DREAMING OF GOLDILOCKS

    The universe is more vast than we could begin to contemplate forty billion galaxies of forty billions stars, thrust out a child, an aged one bent by time mothers with children in tow, giants standing above with names belying their stature. Sitting here, pen in hand it is comforting to know there is another, and…

    Lou Faber

  • NIGHT ARRIVES

    When we finally allow night to settle in around us, and we curl together in anticipation of sleep, we fit comfortably, but with no less passion than when we first did this, but a passion tempered by less need for flame, more for warmth and a gentle caress. We could not have anticipated this, and…

    Lou Faber

  • INFINITY

    A three year old can easily understand that a full cup can hold nothing  but an empty cup has an infinite capacity.

    Lou Faber