I'm not a flame

only an ember:

I can't shine

like any other

West: Grasp!

Zen and Taoism: Let go!

Marriage is religion:

the latter's deepest sentiments

it unfailingly contains

West: Be certain!

  Zen and Taoism:  Abandon reason!

Speak no more
    the past had been drowned
    in the plethora of words
    as many as stars strewn
   in the ethereal sphere
   mostly thrown to the wind
   best forgotten  
  so few worthy of note
  there's nothing there
  that does endear-

  speak no more
  between us the cleavage
  is too wide--our hearts
  are in different lands
  our language has been wasted-

speak no more
what went before
was a wild dream
we lived then
in childish delusion

hush, hush, hush
be still, be still, be still
let us both remain
suspended in silence

You should know
I'm a dreamer incurable
nature chose me somehow
I had no choice in the matter-

you should know
for sure
I'm a drifter
no success do I score

you should also know
my name appears in no paper
the fields, the flowers and the stars
for some reason to me they draw closer

and this, you should know further
I'm as I was just an aimless wanderer
a words-scribbler,  an outsider
a failed lover, a sufferer, an eternal loner

The holding back
words seem still
uncertain to be spoken
like the rose-bud
still in hibernation:
not the time yet
the best must wait

only after the shower
comes the rainbow
my fondest maiden
is hesitating in her silent chamber

her heart she's searching
to find the right words
when she awakes
in the early dawn
she will come to trust love
and not be afraid

I will hold back-
my patience
will be richly rewarded
I know for sure
she will write
to me, saying
'  By my chamber
  for you I'll wait
  come, oh come
my dearest
dearest beloved !'

Put your home in order
deal with your life first of all
without this steel-clad anchor
how could you take on the world?

Love is another land
one is no longer on their home-ground
many might find it strange and alien
towards a new journey bound-

the person loved is on the other side
holding tightly to a well-settled life
the lover must be persuasive and in patience abide
for mutual love to grow and thrive

We'll never admit
     we are each a hybrid:
     the world transferred
     into our very blood and flesh-

    our self we never did create
    copying, imitating and reproducing
    has long been our estate
    too much indeed for regretting-

    in this our bud-grafting
   our intrinsic has been stolen
   we've lost our original voice
   gone are our moments golden

   and what's left
   is but the living numbness
  our will and hope have vanished
   and our heart is  bereft and homeless

What's it to be great

when in simple living I celebrate?

Because so little
I really know
it has been
my best way to grow-

where there's wisdom
I'm glad to humbly follow
in such I'll find my true freedom
as with the tide of life I flow

How about
this or that?
To what have you
been led?

How about
that or this?
Which would bring
you peace?

How about
there or here?
Which would
to you endear?

How about
hot or cold?
To which
would you hold?

How about
disbelief and belief?
Which would bring
you relief?

How about
dislike or like?
How often
are you on each side?

How about
yesterday or today?
Would you choose
to have your say?

How about
you and me?
In what way
would we be happy?

If you've chosen
independently
not to believe
or to see
that which is
doesn't exist

though that is
the raw reality

obvious isn't this?

Let me alone
       it's not that
       I don't like company

       such is too much
       it's suffocating
      infuriating-
       there,meaning I'd otherwise
       not own

      they said:
      'all things in good faith'
       my long years
       this have taught:
       such human nature is not-

      let me alone
     to my freedom
     for to the crowd
    I don't belong

    I'll let others
   on their own
   the public--square
   is their home

  while among
  the unknown
  distant hills
  and green fields
  I heartily roam

Micro

macro

what then is

micro-macro

and macro-micro?

(please let me know)

It comes at the depth of night
this strange echo
in such silence, wordless
its message I hardly know

but a chill runs through my spine
as the night moments gently flow
the moon and stars are watching
in which direction would my love follow?

Why would
I want to know
more than I need
when what's on hand
is deemed adequate?

Why would I
want to pursue
what others do?

My compass I set
where my heart it fits
my inclinations are limited:
life has a hundred million songs
to listen to
and as many poems
to be read-
give me only a few
my heart and soul
to feed
further I don't really need-

time and the years
how they roll on
silently
nonchalantly
content I am
with whatever beauty
I'm fortunate enough
to meet and greet

...and yet
that was only
the beginning
though I thought then
it was the arriving
of the long -sought
after dream

in retrospection:
I was totally inexperienced-
reading too much
into the scene
in some euphoric delirium

for that was not
the Promised Land

life the elusive
as it has always been
keeps its secrets-
its truth
we can never understand-

nothing's lost
I now calmly deem
somewhat wiser
I've become
in days that follow
I'll create a new dream

It's a thousand things--poetry-
    like the myriad themes of a symphony
    embodying all aspects of life and human nature
    the beauty, the joy, the angst, the pain, the fever-

   mankind in search of meaning and purpose
   in its inexhaustible and unbearable thirst
   dim and deceptive is the horizon
   vision and sense of direction are stolen-

   where's the light to be found?
   Where's the firm holding ground?
   What will follow on the morrow?
   Would it be the re-visitation of joy or sorrow?

    It's the perennial role of poetry
    to remind us of our dignity and humanity
    to look squarely at the face of nonchalant time
    to reach out to the stars to live a life that's sublime

There's enough talent out there
nothing of value can I  add
I'll  sit quietly behind instead
listening to very word being said-

an open mind I must have
if any benefit I were to get
there might be lessons
so profound that I'll never forget

Rhyming doesn't necessarily make good poetry, though it does embellish some poems-- we should look for content, diction, depth sans affectation, ostentation or ornamentation .

Good poetry should strike us with every word and phrase in its singularity.  It's like the wonder and grandeur of a great symphony

The wise
could be stupid
the stupid could be otherwise
thus, they equalise

How I do dread
to be ever remembered-

let me be alone
my dream to own-

among you all I was before
all said and done--I wished for nothing more-

there was joy and laughter
then in our being together-

the day's light is fading
it's the time for resting-

life has been lived--now the fare-welling
I am blessed as I'll step into days unending

I shine most brightly
   when I'm not seen
   or felt by anybody

I did it
but only
in my tiny way-

they were
the heroes
they did in big ways

in the public-square
their trophies
they did proudly display

their names
will be remembered
and chronicled
for millions of days

nobody noticed
what I did
too puny they said-
I was the least unfazed
as I was not out
for any praise

What triumph
do I ever need?
The desert the wildest
the ocean the roughest
the jungle the thickest
all I have navigated

no hero I was
I had my doubt
and dread
but I was saved
by an inner voice
which to me said:
'  I'm with you all the way:
  Don't be afraid!'

  I went
I saw
I experienced
I returned
I've conquered!

Everyone dreams
of being there-
the somewhere-land
that will grant them
their heart's lifelong desire
the realisation of their life's plan

yet how they lose
the immediacy
the wonder of each
living moment!

The here and now
to be lived and fed
the inviting
and beckoning
every encounter
towards self-becoming

wouldn't that be
the raison e'tre
the epiphany ?

Of the somewhere-land
my energy and attention
I'll not squander nor lend

only give me the day
the hour, the minute
even the minuscule
of the second
I'll mould each
to my will and fashion-

fully will my life
have been lived
I'll be happy and blessed
at my life's end

Yes, I accept
life's harsh
with its arrows
and slings ******
unannounced
precipitous
even surreptitious -
frail and fragile
as I am
I'll not bow out
nor yield
myself I'll still trust:
in the darkest
of the dark
all obstacles
away I'll brush-

the measure
of a person
doesn't lie
in comfort
only in tribulation
and strife-

all things come
and go to pass
big battles there are

my ground
I'll hold on to-
to triumph-
at last!

My poetry
finds and defines me

as long as
I stay with it
we're a unity

to it I'm tied
in continuity

faith, the utmost faith
is required
in this mutual loyalty

when I'm sinking
it will embrace me
as I step into finality

I'll hold
to this little
that's my own
nothing more-
augmentation
has never been
my aim or game-

my boundary
I well know
the length of my arms
I can't expand

while others
in the public-square
their skills they boast
and proclaim

I'll hold
to my conviction:
all that I treasure
is being unknown
and being left alone

Hello, Poetry
will you visit me
and share my muse
and my story?

Hello Poetry
I hope you'll not forget me
we've travelled so far together
so delightful has been the journey.

Hello Poetry
You have known my misery
intertwined with my joy
and so intimately kept me company.

Hello Poetry
time has spoken and I'm fading quickly
I long more than ever your consoling words
look not away,  stay, oh do stay with me!

The years have slipped away
I've been too slow to recognise
now I feel age deeply
dim are my weary eyes-

my hair has turned more white
sharper wrinkles are written on my brow
my steps have lost their bounce
I'm easily weary now-

the village-kids have turned adults
they have left for the town
how I missed their laughter
and presence-- hardly a handful are around-

there will be a marriage tomorrow
he's Henry and  she's  Nancy
I taught them three decades ago
will they still remember me?

Without discipline, patience will not thrive

West: Steel yourself!

    Zen and Taoism:  Still yourself

Sometimes when
we thought
what we did was wanting
our own self we fought

for each life is hinged
to a self-created standard
(unknown to the world)
it has to be honestly measured

Am I just
the summary
of my past?
What's the present me?

Am I just
a book fully-written
or with unfinished pages
what have I forgotten?

Am I the same smile
or has that turned to frown?
Am I still true and authentic
or have I let myself down?

Am I what you thought before
or am I not worthy to be remembered?
All I know is that I'm changeable
but every aspect of life I must celebrate

Pity
differs from empathy
be careful to show the latter
the former would hurt grievously

Don't judge
nor conclude
don't regard me
as bad or good-

with myself
constantly I struggle
hidden, always so
from people-

you know not a whit
of my inner side
speak not then
in silence abide

Zen


My aims are modest

I am not easily stressed

The beautiful will be the same
as the ugly---it will fade and perish
and be placed where the latter is

We change more than life
   it's only a passive watcher
   we are our restlessness
   the perennial wanderer and seeker-

   stop or pause we know  never
   there's no end to our endeavour
   too often fruitless is that we hanker after
   ourselves we undo--wherever, whatever

Do not honour me
I'm hardly worthy:
paltry is my story
lack-lustre is my poetry-

If you wish to know
I live quietly and simply
in a faraway remote corner
hidden from crowding society-

if you should visit me
wine I have not, water aplenty
some bread and butter
nothing to share ostentatiously

and if you should like humour
such I have abundantly
a hundred tales I'll share
they would make you weary

We call it mystery
as our mind is finite
we can't grasp
such profundity-

yet it can somehow
be intuitively felt
though its full import
we can't adequately tell

Upon the dawn I rise
   still with half-shut eyes
   thoughts through my mind
   they rush-- I'm in sudden surprise
   and wonder what the day would be like-

    outside my window
    the flowers are still dew-stained
    tossing in early breeze
   the same bird-songs are heard again-

   yesterday seemed a dream
   today is a world, almost miraculous
   poetic feelings well within me
   words I can hardly express-

   by what am I inspired?
  What does my heart long to say?
  How should I hold myself?
  Would love and grace come my way?

  Into the lighted sky I gaze
a strange power overcomes me
into a new realm I seem transported
as though I'm touched my eternity

Life is the inside
and the outside
they are seldom in congruence
they often quarrel and fight

What's the  greatest vulnerability?
   It's none other than love-- literally

We are all moments in time
the remnants and carry-forward
of past days---of joys, sorrows,
of disappointments, setbacks
but also of beauty and grace
the future to explore and embrace--

all that we will be
rests on our vision and choice
no clear paths are before us
many tortuous routes we need to cross

yet, our task we shouldn't neglect
nor bound by what had been before
despite our fragile tiny boat
we'll need the patience and fortitude
to head towards and reach our desired shore-

we are all warriors in time
though none will sing any praise
upon arrival in the promised land
our flag of victory we'll proudly raise!

Let there be light!
    Too dark is the night.

    Let there be hope!
    So many are sad and can't cope.

   Let love gather!
   Sorrow will be broken asunder.

  Let compassion abound!
  It will console all around.

  Let faith settle in!
  It will strengthen our within.

Let prayer heal!
Every heart it will still.

Let friendship flourish!
It will every heart nourish.

Let our words be kind!
It's our very duty to mankind.

Let generosity spread!
The poor and needy will be fed.

Let forgiveness reign!
It will eradicate the giver and recipient's pain.

Let every heart be open!
Even strangers to entertain.

Let the universal message be-
Peace, goodwill and joy to flow freely!

Let the world be one family!
There shall be peace and joy through every century.

Let me embrace you tenderly!
In our common humanity.

Let there be light!
    Too dark is the night.

    Let there be hope!
    So many are sad and can't cope.

   Let love gather!
   Sorrow will be broken asunder.

  Let compassion abound!
  It will console all around.

  Let faith settle in!
  It will strengthen our within.

Let prayer heal!
Every heart it will still.

Let friendship flourish!
It will every heart nourish.

Let our words be kind!
It's our very duty to mankind.

Let generosity spread!
The poor and needy will be fed.

Let forgiveness reign!
It will eradicate the giver and recipient's pain.

Let every heart be open!
Even strangers to entertain.

Let the universal message be-
Peace, goodwill and joy to flow freely!

Let the world be one family!
There shall be peace and joy through every century.

Let me embrace you tenderly!
In our common humanity.