You look at me, is that pity or compassion?
I’ve made choices you wouldn’t have made
I know self-sacrifice isn’t in fashion.
I’m not in total denial, I see what you see
But it’s my life and I know it,
We are friends, comfortable with each other.
Okay, we spar, we fight, we don’t always
See eye to eye. But we are in it for the long haul.

In a world with
communication developed to the
extent it is at globally.

It is amazing to me the
difficulty to communicate
forgiveness of the soul
on a common level.

Yes,
it was a special day.

We were all there,
some by force
of the buffet,
some by force
of mothers.

And suddenly,
my dog
feeling the force
of Mother Nature,
left a piece
at the feet
of my Aunt Kate.

My dog,
now obviously
the reincarnation
of my Uncle Ted,

may he rest in peace,

caused Aunt Kate
loudly to dismay,
"My God!"

i loved her at first sight
if you ask how
the answer is all white
not one point till now.

was i too fool a guy
did i make haste
right now can't tell you why
that boy knows the best.

that boy who held his gaze
right on her face
read there in his daze
written happiness.

if you ever find him out
you may ask him how
he loved the girl at first sight
and loving her till now.

Loving her
Was like finding an ocean
After a lifetime
Treading
in muddy puddles.

Hey, Buddha
I’d like to know
what’s that smile for?
what you smiling about?
there’s so much pain
and tension and conflict in the world
and so much loneliness
and so I don’t see cause for a smile

I see you cross-legged
in the gardens and on shelves
and in the pictures
and I see you at the Thai restaurant
and always you have that smile
so Hey, Mr Buddha -
what’s that smile for?
is there any reason why you should smile
when it’s a struggle down here?
I don't mean to be rude
but just tell me:
what’s there to be smiling about?


given the times
maybe an expression of agony
like Christ on the Cross
might be more apt;
or maybe if you were more
like the Abstract Prophet -
no images allowed -
might have been a better
way for you, considering indefinable nirvana
and all that

instead you smile
and perhaps you spawned a tribe of them:
like the laughing Chinese Buddha
whose bellies people rub for good luck;
and all those ancient Chinese sages
eccentric and laughing like the world’s a fun camp;
and that Kuan Yin, that bodhisattva,
who seems a female version of you
she’s smiling always too
though she hears the cries of all sentient beings


so tell it straight
is that smile really necessary
do you think
or is it just some ancient unknown Leonardo’s
chisel cut everyone who makes you
just repeats?
Hey, Buddha
always smiling
what’s that smile for?
what you smiling about, Mr Buddha?

I sit and breathe
wishing peace, happiness, and freedom
for myself

I sit and breathe
slowly wishing out
to strangers, friends, enemies, and all beings
peace, happiness, and freedom

I sit and breathe
letting the metta grow
my heart expands just a little
as I sit here and now
with all my joys and sorrows

may I be at peace
may I be happy
may I be free from suffering

may you be at peace
may you be happy
may you be free from suffering

may all beings be at peace
may all beings be happy
may all beings be free from suffering

the grace of my heart
lies in the palms
of your hands
broken,scarred
and calloused
as they may be
it is in this thought
i know complete serenity.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~