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.
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.
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.
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
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
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