Thursday 26 June 2014

I made a sailboat for you

Every week at Plum Village they have a Lazy day, a day of doing nothing, planning nothing and waiting to see what arises. Some people go for walks, some sit and chat and drink tea with their friends. I had some (Ph.D.) work with me so I did some reading and writing towards that on the first lazy day, then I did some washing and went out to hang it on the line.
Next to the washing line is a huge tree with enormous flowers on it. (I think it's a magnolia tree but much bigger than the ones I'm used to seeing in the UK). I hadn't noticed the flowers at first as they are high up, way above our heads, but on the ground were some of the petals, huge, the size of my palm and deliciously inviting. I immediately thought they were the perfect size and shape for a boat and I had the time and enthusiasm to make one.
Here's the poem and picture to accompany it.

I made a sailboat for you
from a beautiful cupped petal
large enough to be the whole hull.
I formed the sail and mast
from a leaf and a stick,
the passengers were pebbles,
a coin and screwed-up silver foil.

My skills in sailboat making
are limited to say the least.
Attaching the mast to the hull
created a hole through which
water quickly floods.

I made a beautiful sailboat for you
to sail off in your imagination
far across the lotus pond
towards the sunset
to discover new, unchartered lands.
But this sailboat is for dry dock only.
© 4 June 2014

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