He was worse
than poison-
the cobra bit him
and died thereof!

If you do value me

keep in your heart--say nothing:

words don't convey

the full meaning

West:  Strive to know!

     Zen and Taoism: Trust not what you know

......but I don't need

to bet on anything

as I'm self-sufficient

The more people exhort
on how to be happy
it could be symptomatic
that their lives are unhappy

It frightens me---- logic-
to ignorance I'd rather stick
I don't want to live logically
only---simply and happily!

To be secure

study all aspects

of your life

that made you insecure

I shouldn't comment
lest our friendship
were to come to an end

Even tomorrow
like today
will be past tense-
it's so--

if you do love me
let there be no time-factor
only that we'll stay together

shouldn't love be
the past
the present
and the future

the future of future
and countless futures?

The weakest will survive
they steel themselves to strive
the strongest will not continue to thrive
in their complacency they lose their drive

Royalty and aristocracy-
they  estrange from the common people
  we'd rather uphold everyone is equal-

  banquets---wine and meat galore
while starving are the hungry and poor-

such  birth rights and heritage
incur the public rage-

royalty and aristocracy
so distant are they from humanity!

Life is best lived when you've done with like or dislike

Should or must?
A dilemma-
hard for many
to decide -
each has its merit
or setback

life is choice
I should
do good
on my own
without being forced
or coerced

do not ******
on me the must
you aren't the authority
leave me alone
to what I trust

The day is not about reward
but service and effort
to give a smile and lend a hand
at every corner and bend

for life should be
the giving--unequivocally
too soon we'll come to an end
let our kindness spread to every stranger and friend

Destiny-
what destiny?
It's entirely up to me!

Actions and thoughts
I fearlessly forge
the hardest battles I've fought-

though I'm not invincible
my ground I steadfastly hold
I do the best possible

undaunted, unyielding
in every sea I'm prepared to sail
my desired shore I'll reach---I will prevail!

Have I changed or not?
But no situation is the same-
I adapt and improvise
but retain my name-

yet to be sure
I'm not a chameleon
my skin I change not
like all of you I live and move on

Love is desired
but does ensnare
freedom you will lose
those who love excessively must beware!

The day promises nothing:
it merely says: Do your own thing!

Language is the mouthpiece of thought
unless it's mastered, all writing turns to nought
ah, sadly,  this so many writers forgot!

Mist in the valley
morning is about to break
an eagle flies by

I would rather be ignorant
than being a pseudo- intellectual person

The day is conversation
encounters,  choices, decisions
doubts, contemplation and hesitation-
our wits we can't hold in full possession
limited is our  strength and resources
we tend to lose our sense of direction-

what will be the solution
is there such a perfect one
or we would but struggle
in dismal disappointment?

The wise walk in discretion
they know how to trim the non-essentials
in the main areas lies their concentration
they have a sharp and winning vision

'less is more',  that's their preoccupation
they triumph at the end
realised in self-fulfilment

My seat I'll vacate
too long I've sat
it's yours this time
over this I'm really glad-

enough I've seen
and felt here
of life, its vicissitudes
of things sad or dear-

you'll have another perspective
and adhere to your every belief
this is life's true democracy
none compels you how to live-

you might write your story
I'll read happily and objectively
there might be  congruence
in some of our thoughts-- hopefully!

I've done enough for you
I can't bend any further
you're now on your own
your life you've to take over-


time is relentless
my life I've to look after
before long I'll be old
with illness and fever-

our paths have been crossed
we've shared our each joy and sorrow
we'll say our farewell now
but wish each other well for very morrow

I can't say anything
the truth is I don't know
to speak lies or half-truths
isn't the way to go-

I'll hear you all
some wisdom to acquire
patient and humble I'll be
to be a better person to aspire-

they say life is know-how
tools to sharpen the wit
I've endeavoured all my life
but never managed to hit it-

I'll not say anything
perhaps not to speak at all
while the masses rally
slogans to shout--I'll not join their call

Are you calm and cool
    or prone to anger
    most days through?

Are you a cheer-bringer
or a perpetual grumbler?

Two tasks  before you
one easy, the other hard-
which would you tackle first?
Why do you choose such?

Happiness is not a word
I'm fond of
my music has tears
for those who have heard-

I'm lonely and unwell
life is but a veil of sorrow
so heavy does it hover
upon me-- wherever I go-

I compose best at night
when the day's harshness no longer does burn
a mysterious force guides my hand
the outcome is my every weeping nocturne-

longing, dreaming, melancholy
are found in my every note
I care not for the light of day
only for longer  hours of night I hope

The past
is either
  a tyrant
  or a friend

  to many
  the former
  seems to take
  the upper hand

Zen:
       the moment-
       no future nor past
       only the present

Of course
I didn't see
what you saw-
don't ask me

I wasn't there
I've nothing to tell

don't drag me
into the dialogue
or dispute
that would be callous

you should relate
the story
as into the thick you were there
add, subtract, speculate
for all I care,   fabricate!

Such a powerful word-
seed
  signifying
beginning, growth
maturity, ripening

think then of love
at its first encountering
the heart inclining
the pulse beating
in bond binding
ultimately leading
to knot-tying

such a sublime word-
seed
in all human manifesting--
upon its consummating
nothing would be wanting

Another year
as before
despite the hype
will the future be better?

When we consider
human nature
its weaknesses and lacuna
how we wonder

for most lives
are lived in lack
of fulfilment
in the lack-lustre

2025 and all the years ahead
there would be nothing monumental
more of the grind, the existential vacuum
the monotony, the gloom, the fever

I'm the song
     sing me.

   I'm the symphony
  hear every note of me.

   I'm the poem
   read me.

  I'm the heart
  touch me.

I'm beauty
live inside me.

I'm the love
hold me.

I'm the flower
smell me.

I'm the dream
visit me.

I'm the memory
don't abandon me.

I'm the light
you'll never live in darkness

I'm the breeze
I'll keep you cool.

I'm the spring
freely drink.

I'm the tree
hang on to me.

I'm the plant
water me.

I'm the ocean
drift with me.

I'm the moon
stay with me till the dawn.

I'm the bird
fly with me.

I'm the wonder
joy I'll bring thee.


I'm lost
find me.

I'm lonely
console me.

I'm dying
stay with me

The past revisited
I was there-
as it is now
dim,  unreal, vague

no longer does it
welcome me
it says curtly:
'But you have changed!'

new roots have sprung
since you long ago left
the tree you planted is dead
these days new songs are heard'.

The past revisited
I'm now sorely rejected-
as happy scenes I recollect
tears in my eyes they abundantly collect

Grant me freedom
over wisdom
it's that which
knows no age-term

Our goodness grows
in proportion to what
we see practised in others-

we are inspired
and uplifted
in common humility

the gap between us
is bridged--totally-
to a new consciousness we wake

goodness is akin
to kindness
in this is true blessedness

You over-did
     and slipped:
     striving less
     grants you the relief

But for doubt
I wouldn't have known
or understood

'twas then like
I was struggling to find
my path out of the wood

life-- the subject
of endless speculation
and dispute

philosophy however lofty
is but a mountain of lame words
a futile search for truth

I've been fortunate
to have doubted
it has done me so much good

1 Speak honestly
2.  Act graciously
3.  Accept gratefully
4.  Give generously
5.  Help readily
6.  Befriend selectively
7.  Carry out your work dutifully
8.  Co-operate unfailingly
9  Listen attentively
10.  Observe mindfully
11  Think broadly
12.  Contemplate calmly
13.   Deal justly
14.  Win fairly
15.  Negotiate magnanimously
16.   Aim realistically
17.   Forgive unequivocally
18.   Respect reverently
19   Avoid acting recklessly
20. Pray devoutly

This is the problem of many:
they seek blindly to acquire knowledge
in such a rush that much can't be digested
they are likely to court misery:

I'll be content with the little that I know
in patience to gradually grow
it would be better to excel in a tiny area
than to try to go beyond only to suffer failure.

Feelings can't be replicated
they are specific- moments created
each bears its particularity and nuance
every encounter is marked by difference-

(say) a man is attracted to a woman
the first sight induces a wild passion
when they fail in love at a later date
that rush of affection might have disappeared:

of such human nature is made:
there's no known way of escape.

Keep it deeply
in your heart
don't be too eager
to show your trump-card

You'd know me better
from what I've not done
which is not evident
to anyone

The best life is lived
   it's not meant to be interpreted
    analysed or understood
   lest it were to occasion grief

The heart that's broken
can be mended
but it won't be the same
and can't be perfected-

true love is sacred
it knows no uneven edge
to blemish it is a grievous mistake
making it work again has no cause to celebrate

Dear Irene

This is my third year at the monastery. Excuse me for being tardy in writing--I hardly have any spare time.  Monastic life calls for the utmost discipline as we monks live communally-- prayers, tending to the the garden which provides us with some of the food we need,  listening to the instruction of the elders,  helping to keep the monastery and its compounds clean,  talking to  and advising parishers, visiting the sick, doing charity rounds, educating the novices,  working in the kitchen and cleaning up, praying at vespers and retiring sharping at 9 pm, waking at 5 a.m. the next day.

It was very hard for me to get used to this routine during my first six months here, but with patience, encouragement of the elders and divine grace,  I was able to settle in quite well---it's no longer regimentation but living a life of devotion, obedience sacrifice and selflessness.

You asked me once whether I was happy as I had given up the world. I can honestly say that I have found peace, contentment and joy in my priesthood.  I didn't come here to run away from life but to understand myself and to seek meaning and purpose.  In this state of grace,  I have been able to discard all that which reduces my humanity and  discover that I have drawn closer for the first time to loving my fellow-beings. It is as though I have lost myself in being at one with others and life at large ,  as well as the universe.  It is hard for people who live in the outside world to understand the transcendental dimension of a spiritual life.  Yes, we monks have to die to find the way to live---in giving up our ego liberates us from earthly attachments-- the spirit is infinitely more important than the body.  

Everything of the earthly life perishes---knowledge, wisdom success, fame, wealth, status, influence, even  beauty, love, kinship and friendship.  But the religious life transcends all these as we are lifted to a higher dimension beyond comprehension.

We have loved each other once and my decision to become a monk I know has broken your heart.  I do ask for your forgiveness and will pray that love will somehow come your way.  You must think of yourself and your future happiness and try to erase me from your memory.  You will always have a sacred place in my heart though I cannot share my life with you.

Yours truly

John  

Life outside

Life always looks better
    with laughter and humour
    reason stands in the way of such
    it's too stern and breaks asunder-

    every day there's room
   for gaiety and lightheartedness
   why knock on the door of philosophy
   and court doubt and restlessness?

A little knowledge
is a wonderful thing:
the individual
of pride doesn't think-

eager to learn
open to teaching
bent on listening
never dissenting

never fear of asking
not inclined to arguing
humble in following
not voluble in speaking

fervent in studying
desirous of growing
patiently waiting
for the day of becoming