Immeasurable Sweetness

A Chan Retreat

Pale light after dawn
Low clouds scudding over green fields
Weathervane - SSW

Nine cars
In the yard
Tathagatas

Welsh hills in June
Misty rain
Wet tents

Sunbeams at dusk
Reaching round the corner of the hill
Only this week  the sun so far

Cutting the tall grass
goggle eyed frog leaps for safety
Sorry !

Round the temple chanting
Koonyam poussa koon yam poussa 
Outside cuckoos calling

Morning mantra
Steadies
My nerves

Light on rising
Light at bedtime
What between?

Sitting in the Chan Hall
Buddha's face in the corner of an eye
One thought for a thousand years

That old-time sculptor
Never knew I read his mind
Now

Like the stream
No start No end
No stop

The mountains are doing zazen
Everything is doing zazen
-us ?

Someone has noticed
His presence on the cushion's
Not essential

Outside the Chan Hall door
Manic laughter
I needn't ask him why.

This one has spotted something odd-
Others exist.
For how long I wonder.

Old doctor
Speculates
On the physiology of the brain

Dharma discussion-
Monkeys begin
Falling out of the trees

Last cars go down the winding lane
Gates close behind them
Clearer now the birdsong in the yard

Everyone gone
Retreat ended
Owl returning to the woodshed

Dusk 
By an open window
Midges

1998