return of the pale orangutan

  

some 25 years ago they were all of 18 months old

playing on ropes and branches

natural comedians, easy attention addicts

 

a couple of hundred pounds later

they bask in the humid rainforest

a much larger enclosure where

with backs turned to those who crave a glimpse

of their vine-swinging, or face-mugging

even a drool…a long, grotesque strand

would be nice

 

no one gets what they want today

but I am content

 

these are my spirit brothers

I have come to visit

to absorb their dharma transmission

learn a new Zen gag

their higher order humor, these days

is pretending to be sluggish

dumb and depressed

full well knowing they have the upper hand

us two-limb walkers, consumers, gawkers

will get no share of entertainment today

wave

a wave

moves through this world

stands still

quivers there, gentle

like a tiny rabbit

roars

a building

about to topple

Monkeys, We

We monkeys

Learned to clean our teeth

To use a tool

Pick bugs from feet

In time, sold lattes

For exorbitant loot

Built corporate entities

Leeched common good

Smashed their unions

And tip jars to boot

 

Over oil to ship our delicate scones

Went to war with sticks and stones

Bombs and drones to shield our wealth

Destroyed each other, then ourselves

 

Empty handed

Empty souled

Thought we’d won

Then kingdom come

Refused us in

Voted us out

On butt cans kicked

Us bloody louts

 

So we monkeys conceded to share

We monkeys learned to open hand

And not demand

To give of heart

Be just one part

Of synergistic, mystic whole

That fills the well

From empty bowl

For them and thee

Instead of me

Come full circle

Monkeys we

it's never just yes or no

brown bed clothes

pajamas I cannot

lift

so heavy with

regrets from this

flightless day

never knowing when 

the sun will set

again

it will be blue

a hallowed orgy

of secret engines

karma shawarma

is it true

I am alone

with my karma?

this doesn't bother me so much

but if it is true

that means you are, too

then, what can I do for you

your suffering, not my responsibility

nor the world's fractured agonies

is there any way I can help

is this even my concern?

some will surely ascend, unblemished

what of those who burn?

let's pretend

we're just people

by birth or cosmic joke

and my hand reaches out in space

for yours and you take hold

the way light

the way light

romances the glass

hits her with a slight

matter-of-factness

and me

a room away

getting only a bit

enough to read by

be by

understand

the shapes

in my mind by

that diluted gist of hope

I get by by

(any good gambler knows when to) Let It Ride

 

We are sitting at 2^nd Seder

A temple-sponsored event

He asks which one is the wine glass

And which the water glass

 

I say it is simple

The wine glass is smaller

He asks if the waiters can tell us

I say, of course they can

Wanna bet on it? he asks

Can we bet during Passover?

Sure, it’s not the high holy days

So we each put a dollar on it

 

When the waitress rolls around

He asks her

Could you tell me which one

Is the wine glass?

 

It is exactly as I said

 

His response,

Okay, good job

We’ll let it ride

Til the next bet