Starvelings

Pity those who
hunger after money.

They're starvelings
of fear.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Miracle

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

Four Plagues

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

Not Required

Silence does not
require a quiet place.

Serenity does not
need a peaceful setting.

Anxiety does not
depend on a chaotic life.

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.

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.

Sower

The sower
of the universe
tends the garden
even now.

But it is often
hard to see this.

Pure Dark

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

This explains why
pure light appears so dark.

On Top

No one climbs to the top
without help from others.

Even the mountain plays a part.

Mercy's Edge

Mercy is double-edged.
It cuts both ways.

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.

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.

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.

Three Rivers

Drought.
Flood.
Clear water.

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

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.

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?

Empty Fortunes

There is no true wealth
without charity.

There is no true prosperity
without compassion.

There is no true abundance
without open hands.

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.

No Wall

No wall is permanent.

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.

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.

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.

Dawn or Dusk

Is it dawn,
or is it dusk?

The answer
depends on
which direction
one is facing.

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.

Weapons

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

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

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.