Sunday, September 30, 2012

Starvelings


Pity those who
hunger after money.

They're starvelings
of fear.

Saturday, September 29, 2012

Can't Tell


Tell me what I hear
when I hear that still, small voice.

Tell me what I see
when I see the hand of God.

Tell me what I feel
when I feel the currents of Tao.

I can't tell you these things, either.

Friday, September 28, 2012

One Step


One step up.
One step down.

In the scheme
of the universe,
one step doesn't
matter at all.

But we still want it
to matter to us.

Thursday, September 27, 2012

The Gift of Listening


Listening is one
of the greatest gifts
we can offer one another.

How others use
the gift of our ear
is not always up to us.

But it does affect
who we give it to again.

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

The Hardest Day


The hardest day
only lasts a day,
but it's impossible to know
which day is the hardest
while you're living it.

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Miracle


When all of the money
has been carried off,
all that will be left behind
are baskets of loaves and fishes.

Monday, September 24, 2012

Four Plagues

Fear is what divides us.
Hate is what defeats us.
Greed is what starves us.
Ignorance is what kills us.

Sunday, September 23, 2012

Not Required


Silence does not
require a quiet place.

Serenity does not
need a peaceful setting.

Anxiety does not
depend on a chaotic life.

Saturday, September 22, 2012

Etched


A line etched in sand
is easy to sweep away.

A line etched in stone
is harder to erase.

A line etched in the heart
is the most difficult to forget.

Friday, September 21, 2012

Do We Know?


Do we know
what is fair
in every case?

Do we know
what is just
in every response?

Do we know
what is true
in every disagreement?

When we know
what we don't know,
right action becomes easier.

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Sower


The sower
of the universe
tends the garden
even now.

But it is often
hard to see this.

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Pure Dark


Darkness threatens us
because it contains
what we do not know.

This explains why
pure light appears so dark.

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

On Top


No one climbs to the top
without help from others.

Even the mountain plays a part.

Monday, September 17, 2012

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Rich Neighbors

If I think of my neighbors
as those living close to me,
my world will be small.

If I think of the world
as my neighbors,
my world will be large.

The larger my world,
the richer I become.

Saturday, September 15, 2012

Taste


Celery for some.
Eggplant for others.
What accounts for taste?

Is it poured in from outside?
Or does it well up from within?

Another spiritual question.

Friday, September 14, 2012

Doors

Some doors should not be opened.
Some doors should not be closed.
Some doors should not be doors at all.

Discovering which is which is the journey.

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Three Rivers


Drought.
Flood.
Clear water.

One empties the pantry.
One empties the town.
One empties the self.

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Mirror Image


Who is below
is also above.

Who is on the right
is also on the left.

Who is in front
is also behind.

We are all mirrors
facing each other.

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Not


Hard rains.
The wrath
of a violent sky?

Dry crops.
The curse
of a petulant sun?

Naive wisdom.
The gift
of a still, small voice?

Monday, September 10, 2012

Empty Fortunes


There is no true wealth
without charity.

There is no true prosperity
without compassion.

There is no true abundance
without open hands.

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Marked


 
We are all marked
with uniqueness.

The lines and edges
are ours for a lifetime.

To know every mark
is not possible.

To want to know
is irresistible.

Friday, September 7, 2012

Many from One


Many branches
draw from one root.

Forests of trees
grow from one mountain.

Archipelagoes
rise out of one ocean.

Ten thousand things
from one nameless name.

Thursday, September 6, 2012

The Bright Path


Is the bright path
the one to follow?

Or is the bright path
the one to avoid?

The answer
depends on the light.

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Common Good


Storms, drought, snow, humid nights.
We are all tempered by weather.

Hills, rivers, climate, grocery stores.
We are all imprinted by place.

History, memory, dreams, cemeteries.
We are all bounded by time.

Common experience makes
a place for common good.

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Dawn or Dusk


Is it dawn,
or is it dusk?

The answer
depends on
which direction
one is facing.

Monday, September 3, 2012

What the Eye Sees


What the eye sees in whole,
the mind sees in part.

We allow ourselves to know
only as much as we can handle.

The rest must wait until we're ready.

Sunday, September 2, 2012

Weapons


In the face of injustice,
anything can be a weapon.

In the battle against injustice,
the best weapon is love.

Saturday, September 1, 2012

Between


My shadow doesn't
reflect my true shape.

Good light will make
me look better than I do.

Light is light. Dark is dark.
The truth lies between.