Stranger, when we meet
I'll let you speak
I'll be mute-

tell me your story
I'll listen attentively:

have you come from the sea?
or the mountain beyond the lea?

Though we've never met
in trust let our hearts set

for we're one in common humanity
capable of love, understanding and sympathy-

when you've had your full say
gently you may walk away
I'll remember you and regard this a memorable day.

I choose freedom
over wisdom

The day is either
your truth or your lie:
nothing in-between
no else beside

I can't speak
for the moment next
my heart I'll follow
nothing will I expect

may it be bright sunshine
or the ceaseless rain
whether the day is welcome
or harsh-- the grain

I'll sift from the chaff
in hope and faith I'll remain-
wonder and grace will lift the spirit
love and kindness will heal every pain-

if you're sad and bereft
I'll offer you my ready hand
heaven is in what we jointly create
as we in humanity commonly stand

Emptiness
is infinite space
everything
it does embrace

West:  insist

Zen and Taoism: desist

This I do understand:
     where to sit
     and where to stand

Not everyone, I dare think
   is on the path to growth
   indeed so many I've come to know
   do somehow or somewhat shrink

Western philosopher:  What's your skill?

Zen practitioner :         None, I only sit still

I'm not sad
because I don't understand
patiently I'll wait
and indeed am  glad that

myself I still own-
all futility I reject
surely there's a tomorrow
that I can self-correct

No such things
as the right time
the right decision
the right shape
the right size
the right colour
the right side
the right ride

thus
I don't the least mind
I'm a little early
a little late
being off the clock
the way I dress
or walk
or think
or say
the direction
I take
lacking punctuality
free to surmise
ready to visualise
being happily
imprecise

I
you
they
life

the coming-together
the conversation
the collaboration
the agreement
the disputation
the collusion
the deadlock
the impasse
the engagement
the disengagement
the pleasure
the chagrin
the meaningful
the mundane
the inane

somehow, somewhere
in some season
comes the separation:
things fall apart-
the total dissolution
inevitably sets in

the music stops-
the orchestration
sadly ends

Silence
breaks
the back
of violence

the latter
no longer retaliates

How do you define winning
and what is losing?

Inventions there have been so many
above all,  this I alone most treasure:
over-riding  E=MC Squared really
it's my humble denture!

You've got me
totally wrong
I'm not legendary
nor Promethean -strong

only an ordinary bloke
who've just arrived at the block
with his many frailties and warts
who never has claimed great were his thoughts

I'm growing old
but it's not the prompting
that I've morphed
into a non-being

didn't you read
my writing
or hear
my singing?

Didn't you find me
in the village-dancing?
Didn't you feel
my pulse in fullest rushing?

Yes, I'm old-growing
but in my heart spring is still abiding
when into the night-sky I'm gazing
I can't stop my romancing.

I might be uninteresting

    but am really glad not to be boring

.....but I can't change
    for your sake-
    that would be
    a great moral mistake

    but ready I am--as always
   to walk by your side
   to listen, to empathise
   in faithfulness abide

No
no
no!
I don't want
to be a dinosaur

to be displayed
as an item
in the museum
for public show!

If yourself you truly own

you'd never be afraid

of anything in the world--

in whatever state

The moment
    to yourself you said:
    '   I'm wiser than others'
   you courted your very moral death

Lend not your ears
   to others to the extent
   that they are
   no longer yours

Write me a poem
compose me a song
dance with me
take my hand along--

there's still light
  let not me be alone
if you love me
the entire world I'll own

It's enough-- enthusiasm-
not fame or heroism

Keep your shine inside
it loses its purity outside

The day is defined
by one's mood
which determines whether
an event is deemed bad or good

Know the difference:
obligatory
is not the same as compulsory

Old dusty letter
in a book long forgotten
memory erupts

It's not possible
to define limit:
none can dissect
measure or count it

It doesn't matter
    where you set your sight
     as long as it is right

Be in alignment
with your life:
this is the best way
to do away with strife-

the bow must
the violin fit
if out of congruence
there would be no sweet music-

in one voice
love should speak
otherwise
it might break-

towards the waiting sun
the rose raises its head
in this coming-together
the greatest joy is shared

Don't impute words
into the mouth of life:
nothing does it speak
you've to accept what is
whether comfort or strife

Between beauty
and utility
the latter I choose
readily

Life has so many
a path
that which leads best
is to the heart

Who?
Not me!
Sorry-
wrong identity!

If yourself
     you truly own
     you tower over all else
     even on being alone

The day is rich
because you share and give

What's unspoken
    can't be broken

The heart should guide the mind
the latter could be dead-blind

If I were to need
lifting up by another
my life would have been lived
in total error

.Self -sufficiency

makes it unnecessary for me

to rely on anybody-

  it also sets me totally free

Every life is caught
  in time and space
  and shifts its position
  in every changing phase

If you wish
to know the truth
let yourself
be the truth

I'm part of society
  but to it I don't belong
  it has its own music
I sing my own song

Not through my words
nor my poems
would reveal the true me-
they are but fragments:
the intrinsic
is contained
in my within

perhaps
only a small part
of my true self
you could but best
have a glimpse

self is seldom transparent
each hides a veil within

you might trust me
implicitly
but I remain
somewhat
a mystery
in between

It was failure

which led me

to the right path:

I've since regarded

it as my life's true treasure

You conquer
not by intelligence
but by good manners
and character

I'm not smart

to any degree:

what I am

is due only

to my curiosity

I'll let my ego
go to sleep
only my humility
to keep