intimacy

intimacy with all things is the way
to live in peace and harmony with them.
freedom from all things is realized
through intimacy with all things.
                        r. anderson

turning away and touching are both wrong,
because it is like a massive fire.
                      dongshan

equinox 2015

the shape of autumn
that has passed thru the shutters,
the candle's twisted flame.
                            raizan

a fine day of autumn;
smoke from something 
rises into the sky.
                  shiki

the dragon-flies
cease their mad flight
as the crescent moon rises.
                    kikaku

has the tail of a horse
the buddha-nature?
the autumn wind.
            shiki


refugee
the season has come
to find your new home

how everything changes..
fast and vast..
the wind horse carries blessings..
humankind can be kind
heart and hand opening
to bid adieu / to welcome through
invisible line ..

empty border
barbed wire will not hold me in..
will not keep me out..
when the walls come tumbling down
to greet the beaming sun ..
faces like my very own..

hold me..let me go
i walk the thousand mile road ~

no tuesday 8 am class september 29

i have a friend i like to visit every year..
to make sure he is alive..
to let him know i am alive..
we share poetry..
and cosmic who-ha..
we eat well and watch movies marathon style..
he has parkinson's & is HIV positive..
i have something hidden that will
snuff me out sooner or later..
no time like the now to connect w/ a dear, olde pal..

in the end..

all you want is someone to long for you

when it comes time 

to put you in the ground!

the eternal...

sign on a church board:

WHAT IS YOUR PLAN FOR ETERNITY?

my answer.....

to live in the present -
here & now


to see the world in a grain of sand
and heaven in a wild flower ~
hold infinity in the palm of your hand
and eternity in an hour....
                  ~ blake

               

etta and otto and russell and james

dear otto,
we're all scared, most of the time.
life would be lifeless if we weren't.
be scared, and then jump into that fear.
again and again.
just remember to hold on to yourself
while you do it.
sincerely,
etta

a novel by emma hooper

nothing in excess

 ~ so it is written
as the 2nd phrase
over the gateway
to the temple at delphi ~

what do you have too much of ?
cats?
cars?
gold bars?
pennies?
shoes?
tools?
china?
bars of soap?
paper towels?
books?
coats?
dogs?
kitchen utensils?
tea bags?
jewelry?
silver bracelets ?
magazine subscriptions?
canned goods?
scotch?
video games?
gloves?
lumber?
coffee mugs?
fabric?
coats?
candles?
single socks waiting for a mate?
candy bars?
flower vases?
hats?
nail polish?
earrings?
underwear?
guns?
mason jars?
yarn?
reading glasses?
zucchinis?

for me..i have too many desk items...
pens
pencils
colored pencils
cartridges
erasers
pencil sharpeners
tablets
paper clips shaped like birds and elephants
stationary from india
stationary from italy
stationary from japan
glue
scotch tape
tissue paper
wrapping paper
envelopes of every shape & size
scissors of every shape & size
greeting cards
post cards
string
ribbon
stickers
labels
hole punches
staplers
rulers
note pads from hotels around the world
rubber stamps
rubber stamp ink pads
packing tape
manila envelopes
files
enclosures
felt pens
markers
stamps
more stamps
book marks
magnifying glasses
exacto knives
blotters
letter openers
note books with endless quotes

it has simply got to stop..
i've decided to use everything up..
not to glut the system with more cards
no more of more of everything
no more trees coming down on my watch
no christmas cards
once every last card is sent - no more..
this could take lifetimes yet i am determined

happy birthday!
merry christmas!
happy anniversary!
my sympathies ~
best wishes!
thank you!
congratulations!

the bud..from saint francis & the sow

galway kinnell

the bud stands for all things,
even those things that don't flower,
for everything flowers, from within,
of self-blessing;
though sometimes it is necessary
to re-teach a thing its loveliness,
to put a hand on its brow
of the flower
and re-tell it in words and in touch
it is lovely
until it flowers again from within,
of self-blessing......

january 19 1995

where do i live?
a curious question ~
what residence do i support?
abstractly -
i live in the wind that catches
the rainbow ribbons
outside my mama's backdoor..
i live in the mind of my own self..
conjuring up all sorts of images,
qualities and comforts zones..
i make my home in the tiny space
between two breaths..
i aim to increase my square footage
moment by moment ~
i am addressed inside a p.o. box..
on an island jammin' with fighter jets
skitterish deer .. hummingbird chat..
i live inside the ink that writes these very words..
inside the fingertips scratching out
indecipherable penmanship -
i live inside the jeans that have become too tight..
the skin that has become too loose..
i hang out on the prayer beads that are chanted
and strung for many dharma bums..
on the itchy eyelids of pollen,
the dry winter lips,
the baby toenails, barely there..
i rest in the palm of my hand
and
in
yours...

found this in a stack of papers
i was sorting thru as i putter this sunday AM
20 years ago written
i still live here and further down many roads..
not great writing but telling, eh?
here are a few untraditional  haiku uncovered as well..

stomach whirlings
train tracks
where is my cat?

buzzing bee lands -
the car door
has captured it.

ankle bone digs deep
into the plush
mind carpet.

stray hair
tickles the nose edges -
widens the gap.

mind in reverse -
a truck load of concepts
backing up.

odd to look back 20 years
and see what i saw..

where do i live, now?

notes..for this labor day!

no class for kathy on monday, the 7th..
she'll have her tuesday class@ 5:30

YES! jeri will be teaching on monday evening - labor day -
@ 6:30 but will NOT be having class on monday, the 14th..

NOTE:
NO CLASS ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8th *8AM

SAVE the DATE -
SUNDAY
NOVEMBER 1st
YOGA w/ CATS
fundraiser for the cat's meow
will be very much fun!
meowanacortes.org