Sangha Poetry

H E A R T

A crop of thorn and thistle,

A harvest of fire.

Hearts that close behind briar,

"The thickest of thicket - the trick

Is to pick it apart with a stick" -

without pricking. The zen master's

stick stings.

The rustle of a robe's breeze.

Shark toothed edges smoothed, soothed by the

Strange silk-strong softness of a skirt.

Valiant Angels rise, summoned from

The depths.

Echoes of the past fade as

Eyes open into galaxies.

Stay undaunted, and mighty forces

>From Hara shall come to your aid.

Open heart.

A rooting of the lotus.

A sprinkling of dew.

IN THE HEART (C)

There is found Truth,

Bold and Bare of Ornament, Igniting the Path.

The near-forgotten smell of flaming cane fields in His wake,

Sweet acrid smoke that spirit follows and encircles like a moth.

Next is Power,

Riding in on Fiery Steed, a Searing Rescue,

With soaring strength and skill freshly fed by kinder fuel,

Discarding masks and armor rendered useless for this quest.

There are Treasures

To uncover, still Hidden down the Path;

And earth stretched taut and parched has underneath

a Bubbling Spring of fresh Good Thoughts to burst to surface.

A Vessel of Energy

Timely flows along the Path as balm and benison,

with healing and for humor to clear the View of Wisdom;

The Vessel's unplumbed depths a font of mystery and delight.

There is a Radiance

>From the Path, its source a Beautiful Serenity

Reflecting promise in the molten core beneath the snow,

Predicting blossoms of the spring defeating darkness of the blight.

All is Becoming

There, Becoming All, the pull of patience anchored solid

Against tide, in flux but holding fast against the smashing waves

Of violent oceans that would drown if All were not Becoming.

And Unnamed

Rivers on the Path, within their banks the flow of

Exotic waters that yield cool mists and moist clouds

to rise and clean the dusty air with their warm refreshing rain.

A Diamond Shines

At center, His Sparkling Brilliance sprinkles Light

upon the Path, emanating joyful fractured prism rays that

dazzle with acceptance and reflection of all facets of the Heart.

Full Heart.

Jewel Heart.

I N THE HEART (D)

There is an Energy

Coursing through the Path, that runs Persistent

And relentless, even as it wanes and waxes roughly

When stretched life-containing channels will contract and choke.

A Non-Violent

Beating of the heart, pulsing strong against its walls,

The unaccustomed gentle circulation giving birth to better cells

Even as diseased ones rise to rail and rant, protesting their collapse.

Making a Cheerful,

Smiling Use of Consequences as a healthy habit

Watches musingly, most welcome on the Path, residing

Flexible, adaptable, in times of peace or strife His smile still steady.

There is found Effort,

New and wrenching tortured.

There’s an Effort,

New and wrenching, tortured and relentless,

Pushing past the pain and the uncertainty, pressing

Onward, blind or seeing, either way determined on the Path.

An Immoveable Force

Moves kind along the Path, with outstretched

hand, his jaw set tight against the storms, unclenching

easily with mirth, a warm and muscled hand upon our backs

Free of External

Nature, Appearances not Limiting his form

Along the Path, he sits sincere and open, at one

Completely with the moment, expecting nothing from the Heart.

A Turbulence

Unfettered and in turmoil now appears

Now vanishes, wandering inconsistent down the path,

Present and not present, seeking and avoiding finger pointing at the moon.

Luminous Devotion

Was forced to exile from the Path; though constant soul

Wherever sent, his absent form caused grief and breaking of the Heart;

A vein was strained, its blood diminished by departure of One Dwelling in

Tranquility.

Healing Heart.

Rebirth Heart.