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EDGE OF THE ABYSS
He sits on the edgepeering down, shakingin the breeze, knowingthe abyss below waitsfor a misstep, a slip. He stares up, waitingfor her return, hopingshe will soon arrivebringing the meal, neverenough always wanting more. He knows he willsomeday soon haveto leave, but for nowall he can do is spreadhis wings, flap them, until it will seem…
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SENSO-JI
By hour six, the plane was just a lumbering beast dividing the sky, halfway from God knows where to nowhere special. His body cried for sleep but he knew he had to deny it. That much he had learned from prior trips. For when he landed, made his way painfully slowly into the city, it…
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REFLECTIONS
An elk stands at the edgeof a placid mountain lakeand sees only the cloudsof an approaching winter.A black bear leans overthe mirrored surface of the lakeand sees only the fishthat will soon be his repast.The young man drapedin saffron robes lookscalmly into the water and seesa pebble, the spirit of his ancestors.I look carefully into…
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A HUMBLE RECEIPT
Hands touchsilentlyいただきますwe humblyreceivethe meala prayerof thanksto allwho plantedwho harvestedwho soldwho boughtwho preparedwho enabledいただきますsaid each meala silentreminderof thanksitadakimasu
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Tokusan Holds His Bowls 無門關 十三 
Tokusan carries bowlsas though expecting a meal.He is asked, “haveyou been called, forI have rung no bell.” He returns to his roomin silent response. You may say he retreatedin defeat, be he will havethe final answer. A reflection on Case 13 of the Mumonkan (Gateless Gate) Koans
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DEAR ERASMUS, DIE
Today we welcome the rain, hopethat the wheaty winter lawn willshow some other color under its care. The birds ignore the clouds,accept the rain, care little howour lawn looks, their next mealof always greater importance. I am losing the vision in one eye,know I may soon be kingof the country of the blind,and sadly curse…
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THE POND
Along the shoreof the pond wishingit was a lake,the anhinga proudlyshows off the small fishthat will be hismid-morning snack. The egret findsthis show of ostentationabhorrent and returnsto her searchfor bugs on the reedsfringing the shore. The alligator swimslazily off shorehoping we willsoon pass, andconsiders whetherhe wants only to sun,or if an anhinga wouldmake a good…
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WOODEN PILLOW 鐵笛倒吹 六十
If, sitting at your mealyou hear the song of a bird,what do you do?You may tap your chopstick rest,and perhaps he will answerand repeat his sweet song.If you tap a second timeand there is only silenceis the bird rejecting youor offering his song to another,flown from your window. Perhaps you should tap againand hear the…
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GANTO’S MEAL 鐵笛倒吹 語十四
When you visit a teacherinquire what he needsand freely offer him a meal,but ask nothing in return,if you pester himhe will greet youwith a blow of the stick. Come to him silentlywith an open heartand with empty handsand the Dharmawill be transmitted. A reflection on case 54 of the Iron Flute Koans
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HAIKU
I picked up a bookoff the shelf this morningone hundred haiku it was like sitting downa word starved man, tiredof searching for an alwaysdenied sustenance, and herelaid out before me, a repastof the sweetest grapes,bits of sugar caressinga tongue grown usedto the often bitternessof ill-considered prose. As midday approachedI knew that this was a mealto…
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an old writer and his words 