Four lines, five words

In Thich Nhat Hanh's latest book At Home in the World  I read that the gathas - four line verses Thay uses to express the teaching in all aspects of life - in the original Chinese were four lines and only 5 words per line. This delighted my aim for brevity and I have been playing with this as I often find a poem comes as a whole idea or a distinct image rather than particular words.

Here are some I have written so far - enjoy!

Tonight a super moon rises
closer to earth than usual.

Go into the darkness, see

what beauties are lit there.

............

Oneness, birthplace of all movement.

Stars sing moon into beauty

river and pebbles clash harmoniously

leaves chant farewell to trees.

............

Desire for succinctness and brevity
yet words spill onto page
in an uncontained, chaotic joyfulness
that somehow makes perfect sense.

..........

Light shines brightest in darkness
right, left cannot be separated.
You in me in you
a divided world made whole.

...........

Sufi artists embrace imperfection, knowing
God alone as perfect, pure.
I also adopt this knowledge

letting go of never complete.

..........

It only needed a seed

the whole tree was there

you and I in shade

enjoying an unsought for peace.

..........

Red sky glinting in river

water reflecting colour of trees.

Which is more real, more

true? Mind enraptured by both.

..........

I saw a single leaf

suspended between heaven and earth

caught on invisible spider's web

delightfully unmoving despite autumn flurries.

..........

Misty morning on the river

snow dripping off the trees

light diffused through soft filters

winter not quite yet arrived.

© 16 Nov 16

Space to notice

Space to notice
what I am caught up with
where the mind has gone
what paths or daydreams
the thoughts have wandered into.
Space to notice
the reality I create for myself and
the far greater, infinite reality
dwelling just outside the door.
Space to notice
the limits I impose upon myself and
the unending freedom available
if I allow myself.
Space to notice
and care for the body’s needs but
not to be over-cautious or fearful.
Space to notice
all movements originate here
including those in the mind.
Space to notice
space
here is all knowledge, all joy, all wonder.
Stay with the space.

© 14 Nov16

The ebook is free this weekend!

This weekend Amazon are offering a promotion where the ebook of In the Tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh: Mindfulness and Engaged Buddhism is FREE.
The idea is you tell all your family and friends how amazing it is and they all buy it! :)
Just a word of warning if you take up this option - viewing it on a phone the text is very small and needs zooming in, which means you have to scroll across for the end of each sentence.
This doesn't apply to kindles and larger devices.
If you do get it please leave a review when you have read it, preferably on all of them if you can!
You can also get it on Wordery and Lulu.com
Enjoy! :)

Today when I woke up

Today when I woke up
it had snowed and
from my warm, soft cocoon
I could see an unexpected
world of beauty and delight.
The beauty of the snow and the
light in the sky
often surprises me.
Each time I forget how
lovely it is, how joyous
to see the flakes softly falling
its gentleness and quiet.
A blanket of ice nourishing the earth
and my soul.

Then I heard the news and
my heart broke!
I wallowed with others in grief
despair, hopelessness and anger.
But that little voice inside me
that I trust said
“this is not the way”.

I turned off the news and turned
away from social media until
I could find the words that
weren’t fuelled by hate and divisiveness.
Someone I trust said
“be the change you want to see
in the world”.
Of a sudden I knew what this meant.
Practise generosity, kindness, love.
Send out good wishes to all beings
known and unknown.
Turn away from news designed
to inflame the emotions.
Embrace the beauty and love
right at the end of your fingertips.

With each looking and noticing
my broken heart began to mend
forming a new whole
born from understanding and
the need to openly express
our love for the good and the true and
for one another.

If the world ends today
I will know with every fibre
of my being
it has been a good day
because it snowed
and I noticed!

© 9 Nov 16

Why ride the boat?

Why ride the boat and risk
being tossed out in any
turbulent storms
when you can swim
in the ocean of bliss and
bathe in your own oneness?

Why ride the boat that requires
sails, oars and all kinds of
accoutrements
when you can swim
in the ocean of bliss
free and free and free?

Why ride the boat that needs
much upkeep and maintenance
when you can swim
in the ocean of bliss and
be with your own essence?

© 26 Oct 16