If I can't be gentle to myself
how could I manifest such to others?

It's sufficient
I look at life at eye-level
neither too low or too high-
it will understand
we stand equal
in dignity, without pride

our dialogue then
will be reasonable and cordial
allowing for every gentle disagreement
without any enmity
apathy or spite-

at the end of things
perhaps we'd have reason
for cheer and smile

Money speaks louder than honour and morality

The mind
  is  the world's largest library-
  it contains
  every facet of reality

One should not be so self-focused or self-directed to the extent of being alienated from people and the world at large.

Our growth depends on our being connected with them.  
This also calls for humility.

Worse still, over-obsessed with self can lead to hubris and narcissism

West: Forge ahead!

        Zen and Taoism:  Be still and rest

Don't forget
    your way home
    after your travel
    wide and long-
    nothing out there
    can compare to
   where your heart
  does belong-

   scenes you've absorbed
   how soon they will be gone!

   Trust not your senses
   your fancies do reality distort
   your memory will be short
   your fancies will fade along-

   your way home
   never should you forget
  your garden has since bloomed
  waiting for you to celebrate-
  let home-coming be your beloved song!

I'm glad, really so
to be quickly forgotten-
as such I owe no one
any obligation

I choose disbelief
over belief-
the latter is likely
to cause grief

I once thought
   I did understand
    but now realise
    I am ignorant

We poets never cease to travel, but each in their own direction.

The aim is the same--to explore, discover, understand and to learn the meaning of life and living, and in the process, hopefully, to transmit something worthwhile and beautiful to the world at large.

Is it true
most of us
don't know
our true selves?

if we were birds
we wouldn't know
we had wings-

if we were fish
we wouldn't know
we could swim-

if we were clouds
we wouldn't know
we could float-

if we were flowers
or plants, we wouldn't know
we could grow-

is it true
most of us
are partially blind
to ourselves?

We are moments
and players
in the somewhere of time
but can't presage
the outcome-
life is the jungle
thickest, darkest, wildest
and most mysterious-
shadows are ubiquitous
light is rarely seen
or felt around-

we are absorbed
into the web of time
unprepared, innocent
untutored, inexperienced
in our ignorance-
all that we can do
is to watch and accept-

we and time
have no covenant
to come together
or to agree
with each other-

the language
we each speak
is incomprehensible
to the other-

we meet somewhere
and then move in the flow
to the next unknown sphere

Honour
is above success
greater potency
does it possess

Bruised
but didn't hurt

fractured
but not broken

down
but not out

failed
but didn't walk away

disliked
but didn't hurt the pride

rejected
but still self-accepted

oppressed
but resurrected

hated
but love wasn't robbed

shaken
but remained constant

tested
but prevailed

dishonoured
but still conquered

Joy and happiness
  which word appeals more to you?

I was the before
I am the now
the unmade future
yet to know-

I'm the rollover
of all deeds and thoughts
the assemblage
of all which went before

but I'll never be a machine
a device, gadget or computer
I remain the raw flesh-and-blood
I'll live humanly and stoop to conquer

When turning back is impossible
  the crossed bridge had broken down
  you are left alone to your resources
  and standing on shaky ground-

the horizon is dim and misty
tortuous and rough is the path
bitter winds are buffeting your face
testing your every courage and trust--

this is the moment
that will determine your fate
it's the fight to survive or fall
an encounter you'll never forget.

Night descends with its shadows
with the forces of a fiery foe
it will be  long hours of a bitter struggle
will you emerge victorious upon the morrow?

My religion is within myself-
     what I think, speak (in silence) and do
     my unknown engagements
     as each moment goes through

     what I'll become
     is carved in sacred devotion
     words fail to define
      this inexplicable communion-

     I'll walk aside
    from analysis and reason
    and will only abide
   in that blissful land

  beyond the pale
of earthly existence
with my palm out-stretched
in that Transcendence

I'm old
not cranky-
don't unfairly
judge me.

I'm old
too you'll be
arthritis and lumbago
naturally.

I'm old
walk clumsily
but still
maintain my mental capacity.

I'm old
Mount Everest I can't ascent
can still walk in the hill
easily descend.

I'm old
medications have too many
my medical bills are mounting
but my doctors are happy.

I'm old
still can dance and sing
though I realise
gone are my days of spring.

I'm old
part of me is still green
despite my warts and balding
to continue well-living count me in!

Life in two words:
'can't' and 'can'
but we rotate
between the two
neither is a perfect scan-

there's some can
in the can't
and the can't
in the can--
that's just human

none is deterministic
each can't stand alone
there's the inexorable mix
a part of the other in each contained

and on this I think
(despite time's different span)
of the wit of Wittgenstein :
can I make him understand?

I do my best

but am always aware

I might be far behind

all the rest


but life's a democracy

I'll have my small and gentle say:

we are each a part of society

none can force us to walk away

I do my best
but am always aware
I might be far behind
all the rest

but life's a democracy
I'll have my small and gentle say:
we are each a part of society
none can force us to walk away

I'll have my way
      and my say
      what I am I create
      not the day

      it's latent
      I give it life
      in generosity
      a precious present

      time will take swift flight
      I'll sill maintain my stay
      smile, jest, sing, dance
     watched by every day

Tomorrow we'll be younger
if our now-days are iived
in love, grace, joy, peace
jest, vigour and wonder

I can't even be
my own leader
how could I ever
lead any other?

Do not come my way
lest I lead you astray-

do not trust what I say
lest it might cause you dismay-

do not praise me
I might not be worthy-

do not be my friend
lest on me you can't depend-

do not grant me any favour
be able to reciprocate I might never-

lastly,  this I'll declare
turn away from me--go elsewhere!

Not now
not tomorrow
not in any future-
the public path
I'll never follow-

nor would its ideology grasp:

it's masked
with a hidden agenda
subtle, surreptitious
clandestine, devious
such I can't ever trust-

all that I am
a simple person
holding to my own
despite everything
faithfully to the last-

not today
not tomorrow
not in the near
or distant future-
only my own path
I'll create
and my living-net
I'll courageously cast

I never took myself
too seriously -
if I were so
how could I be ever happy?

I can help you
only occasionally
but honestly
not perpetually

I can't be
what you are:
I'm the moth
you're the star

*  from Shelley

I ask for so little
I have enough:
my poverty
doesn't put me to task

Flowers, stars and moon

each in singular beauty

endless poetry

.....but sometimes being silly
    makes me truly human and happy

I am in LinkedIn
but not LockedIn

I know you well enough
you needn't bare further
keep your most intimate part
share not with me nor any other

I'm neither
that or this:
only a man of peace
a humanist

How much do you trust?

Implicitly?

To a high degree?

Averagely?

Slightly?

Rarely?

Never, really!

I've never feared rejection
come whatever, I'm my own person!

An extra word
to a good friend
and the friendship
came to an end!

Why would I wish
  to argue with you?
  I've so many important things
  indeed to do!

Life I love
        also meaning
       if both I can't have
      the latter would be my choosing

Love-
the most abused word!
Spoken every second, everywhere
but of content void-

repeated over
and over
though there's no affection
left in each lover

A breakthrough
not a breakup:
the latter looks down
the former looks up!

Is there such a necessity?
     This is symptomatic of an inner malaise
     an indictment of discontent and failure-
     it's as though the self has fallen away!

    Life is constant self-cultivation
   a process of becoming
   the self should be intact
   it doesn't need reinventing!

Faith is stronger than will

Life owes no one any favour
beseech we should not---never!

Language has a sensitive heart
          'Me none should exploit!' it does declare:
         mindful writers in their noble art
         seek to cooperate as of such it's aware

A bee went into
         an elephant's ear
         the creature was powerless
         and nothing it could do!

West: Expand

  Zen:   Diminish