Plum Village (for Thay and his community)

shining dome
mauled bald by bears of woe
you've crawled so many miles
on so many knees
just to eat
rejection,
once, a thousand
countless times

the victory
is in the trying
it hasn't ceased
even as old age
and political cage
whitewash over
the Zen graffiti
you scrawled, so defiant,
so fearful that your efforts
would not relieve the slipping
of those you sacrificed
yourselves
to be

drizzle into puddle

drizzle into puddle
shaken surface reflecting
trees, sky
black bramble
and grey tumult

topple

when I no longer cling
want
depend
I will be lost
no longer blue
no longer seek
validation from you

and the feeling will arise
only to give
and bereft
I will no longer be
a being only for myself
but for others
here
where we all
have toppled

dictators
dethroned
unmasked
unknown

third snow

it does snow
oh, yes
it does
-- it was!
and will
and here we are
hive and honey warm
fires in furnaces
brandish our purchases
coffees
and pens
and notebooks
and lovers we've won
with sloppy smiles
and whimpering hearts