You asked me
what I bought into
my simple reply-
myself---only

The mind might be
    in quest
   it's the heart
   that knows rest

   being intellectual
   is a stumbling-block:
    life should be
  lived gently and happily
  ruminating and questioning
  is stifling and ineffectual  

  my heart I trust
  I'll put thinking last

I'll not jump
over the fence
I ain't that desperate-
there I might find
a ready-to-attack dog
or a deadly snake!

Leisurely around I'll walk
though it will take more time--
in no rush --there's much sunshine still
evening will have to wait hours to come-

there's no compelling reason
over the fence to jump
I'm content and serene
not out to seek any grand outcome

Apologies are sometimes necessary
but not repeated regularly

Emptiness knows not any foe
it has neither frontier nor door

What sort of life is it

if you've never lived

in disbelief?

Those who love
can do more wrong
than those
who have never loved

If you espouse
these two tiny words
'not yet'
you'll not regret
and some day
be richly rewarded-

sadly
most cant' wait
diving into that
of which
they aren't prepared-
the damage
has been done
and there's no turning back-

all great things are wrought
from diligence and patience
no plant or flower
can overnight flourish

this simple philosophy
of 'not yet'
I've for all past years
faithfully  followed-
it has failed me never
nor caused me any regret

I prefer to be
  just a tiny piece of stone
  not a proud rock-
  I'll be hidden and unknown

even the wildest storm
or the torrential rain will harm me not
I lie safely under the tree's shelter
until the sunshine is wrought-

above me sweetest flowers blow
birds chirp cheerfully from dusk to dawn
moonbeams through the leaves bring me cheer
ere the hours of night are gone-

I'm unnoticed when you walk by
no harsh word will you speak to me
how blessed it is to be what I am-
truly joyful and eternally free!

A genuine need

is never greed

West:  Hold tight
Zen and Taoism:  Loosen up.

West:  Forge ahead!
Zen and Taoism:  Step back.

Be not in search
of any miracle:
hold closely to yourself
choose the path you desire
have in mind the ideal
light up your inner self's fire-

each life has its own mystery:
at its labyrinth is a hidden world
untainted, pristine, unfettered, bold
beyond reason's touch or measure-

the self is the unfolding
of the sublimest beauty
its edge the universe encircles
nothing else is comparable -

into a brave new world
you have entered
its wonders are unparalleled -

rest unto yourself:
you've overcome all odds
and rendered
the best possible--
there's no need at all
for you to search
for any miracle!

The honour inside
is many times
more worthy
than that outside

Marriages---they struggle-
some more, others, less
that's marital nature
but not devoid of happiness

Don't ask
you well know
I'm not up
to the task-

You're
a fast runner
I'm only
a crawler-

you're a high-achiever
I'm a constant loser -
you're such a fine singer
a simple tune I can't render-

Your dad is a banker
mine is a farmer
You live in a mansion
I,  in a shack -close to the ugly prison-

Your wife wears the best diamond
I gave mine a cheap watch as a birthday present
you drive in a million-dollar automobile
I cycle to work up and down the hill-

I've said enough
I trust
and you know too well
I'm and will never be your class

I don't need
to metamorphosise :
I'm more than happy
to keep my shape and size

If yourself
you don't own-
of all people
you are the most forlorn.

Social Media

They said
the obvious-
readers regarded
it to be genius!

Fame
    you don't need
    to claim:
    if such you deserve
    you don't
    even need
    a name

Don't aim
to be a brandname :
you will go very far
just as you are

Why the haste?
Take your time to taste-
that which is rush and hustle
where then is the pleasure?

The more people quote
they negate their own thought
little merit it shows
there's no light--only shadows!

I study
my weak side
it's that insight
which will set me right-

it's the starting-point
that will give strength
in my every weakness-
the bedrock
that will be
my guide
as I sojourn
into the roughest
storms of life-

thus
my weakness
becomes
my strength-
it makes me
truly alive!

Freedom
over wisdom
without it
life is imprisonment

You respect and show
kindness to people-
don't expect
their sentiment
would be cordial-
this is human nature
an unpredictable
variable

Life has two doors:
Entry and Exit
everyone chooses
the former
but know not
the latter
is likely
to be
a hideous  hitch-

you are ******
into membership
its rules you must keep
it might cause you nightmares
that destroy your daily sleep-

there's no clause
that allows you
to withdraw
your membership
monthly fees
have to be paid
for life:
your membership
can't be transferred-

the same members
you would meet
some might be
thieves or criminals
armed to the teeth

but you can't exit
and are likely
to be a target
looking back
you would regret
and say: 'How sad,
how very sad!"

Keep your words
hold back your action
this isn't the time
for you to commit-
save yourself
from an unsavoury outcome-

abide by your time
know when to stay still
move or climb-
everything has its reason
weigh carefully
be very patient
think clearly
before  you decide
to jump!

It's no wonder
at all
unless you are
in the picture
being an integral part thereof

otherwise
all that is
is incomplete
just a distant view
of speculation
of conjecture-
without the grandeur-

we are each
part of others
and of nature-
only in coming together
is the oneness
the fullest realisation
the sublimest rapture
the matchless splendour!

Just a minute
might change
the entire landscape
of my mind
with the dawning
of a new perspective
a fresh awakening
bordering on mystery
beyond the pale
of reason -

ah, how limiting
is thinking
how narrow
is knowing-
an unknown dimension
lies within
the labyrinth
of our psyche
and our soul
that's latent
until
its sudden appearing
now-

our entrenched mindset
is cleansed and purified
as we move
into a new light-
we are transformed
into a new being

I spilled some milk just now
must go out to purchase a cow!

I'm a bachelor
what love is
I don't know
poets romanticise -
their way
I don't follow-

my married friends
I asked:
'What is love?'
Their eyeballs
nearly dropped over

in rebuttal
they put me
to task:
' Would you know
the taste of an orange
apple, pear or plum
if you hadn't eaten?'

To them I replied
' When I got married
  some fine day
  perhaps
I might know
but right now
it's still a question-mark!'

Even the smartest
among us
will be careless
in some ways-
we are all human
reason doesn't always
hold sway-

there's never
a perfect person
even with
the highest education-
we *****, we doubt
we stray, we struggle
mistakes we make
sometimes lost
in illusion-

myself I examine
where my strengths
and weakness lie
too well I do know
I'll fail and stagger
but that's no cause
for me to cry!

Life gives a map
some vital signposts
it leaves out-
you are landed
in doubt-
it's a test
of your ingenuity
how to make sense
of the missing parts--

wouldn't it be better
if you were to draw
your own map
and set your direction?
It might not
be perfect
but you can remodel-
your destiny
is in your hands
if yourself you trust
you will arrive
at the promised land
at last!

He who is bored denies himself

the joy and wonder of living---

he's already half-dead!

The fish knows not
the depth of the sea-
how can you measure
the love I have of thee?

Don't cheer me
my race has just begun
not for public show
only for myself
no one has to know-

every life is its own
its footsteps
it has to faithfully follow
in quest of its true self
to reach a meaningful tomorrow

I'm an unfinished product
I still have thousand miles to go
don't cheer me at all--
that's really uncalled for!

I have nothing
to give materially
in my paucity
but my heart
I can- completely-
my love, pray tell me
this paltry gift
would you accept readily
and unequivocally?

But words
I've abundantly
I can write you
my heartiest poetry
in eternal praise
of your grace
and beauty-

not just a few
but volumes
as though
in religious devotion
and unfailing duty -
daily and endlessly!

But if you were
to choose
what is princely
I'll set aside-
I can't compete
with the aristocracy

I'd know by then
there's no potency
or any persuasiveness
in my unworthy poetry-


I'll bow gently
my fairest lady
and promise faithfully
never again
to draw nigh
or to address thee.

Do not test
or measure me
I'm a nobody

thousands
out there
are more worthy

go after them
the cream and jewel
of society

do not target me
what you'll get
is but an unimpressive story

The poet feels more
of what he sees-
the ordinary person
sees but feels hardly-
that's the difference
between the banal
and that which is true beauty

Social media:

it's surprising

so many are ******

into the prosaic

though so much of it

is inane and absurd

You might not
be a star
it's enough
if you like yourself
as you are

The doable
is enough for me:
I never aspire that
which is beyond
my capability

No one can give you
more respect than
the person who see
in the mirror- Amen!

There's more wisdom
in deleting
the items
you don't need
than in augmenting

I gave up my intellectual mind at least 40 years ago as I recognised that it would  not guarantee or contribute to my happiness, success or fulfilment-- this mode of thinking would tend to impede my spontaneity, joie de vivre, sense of adventure, wonder and curiosity which I deem to be my raison d'être for living.

I've found from my experience that, in many cases, intellectuals have fixed and rigid mindsets and, as such, become inflexible and even intolerant and arrogant.  Being insular and inward-looking,  they find it hard to accept the views of others, even their colleagues' or peers'.
Their thinking tends to be along this line:  I'm an authority on this subject....'.

Such people don't make good company and might not attract others to become their friends.

They can also be awfully boring.  I attended a social dinner many years ago and happened to be sitting next to an academic whose field was chemistry.  He went on non-stop for a hour telling me and those around that he had written over 50 research papers and had received various awards.  His  wife seemed ravished by his outpouring.

The hallmark of a mature person ( Confucius in 600 BCE used the terms ' superior person' and 'the gentlemen' ) lies in their humility, grace, broadmindedness, tolerance, kindness, generosity, respect for others , sense of humour, willingness to share and co-operate, and, last but not least,  their altruism as manifested in their charity and contribution to society and the nation. Confucianism regarded people as part of society and that they were measured by the good they contributed.

Tolstoy in his later years suffered from a deep spiritual crisis. In his Confessions, he wrote that intellectualism stifled his life. He looked at the common people and was amazed that they were able to bear sorrow with such courage and equanimity which he would be unable to.  He said that as soon as he cast away his intellectual life, he was cured of his existential angst.  What a revelation!

I conclude:  happiness and fulfilment is found in understanding ourselves and our place and station in life, in living in simplicity and in harmony with our fellow-men, in kindness, humility and humaneness.  All this has nothing to do with being 'intellectual'.

Kindness might not be appreciated
but how could we stop?
We each have a heart
which will heed to anyone's every tear-drop-

in our darkest hour of need
a gentle smile or tap on our shoulder
will our silent sorrow lessen
and inspire us to become stronger-

we'll be reminded of the sacred bond
which in common humanity brings us closer
to love, encourage, share, nourish, nurture
and also to create a world which is happier and dearer

The non-doing
is the winning-
all struggling
is the losing-

thinking
is inferior to
intuiting --

reasoning
is the confusing-

knowing
is the impeding-

letting
go
is superior
to holding-

in the self being nothing
is its self-discovering-

in the self-forgetting
is the intrinsic being-

emptying
is the unburdening -

the self-effacing
is its triumphing-

the self-silencing
is wisdom-breeding -

giving
is the receiving-

dying
is the home-returning

You've conquered
every empire
of the world
but are still empty
as you've failed
to conquer yourself

time rushes on
too soon you'll become old
and discover you've
nothing of value to hold

you'll sadly say then
'  All this is but a burden-
   will anyone take over
    from me?  It's free--a present!'

I'll not send you flowers
that's artificial love
I'll come only with my heart
to render all I have that you deserve-

would you prefer
my look or that of every flower?
Not a single one could speak
of the love which on you I'll shower!

How quickly will they fade
overnight they will wither
to love they do no justice
they can't take my place as lover-

Valentine's Day-- what a trifle!
In our hearts we've planted the eternal
love has no shelf-life nor dates
all else is nothing but ephemeral!

Be ingenious
(everyone can!)
that's a small sign
of being a commonsense 'genius'