Life shouldn't be over-rated
or romanticised
this would only
have us later agonised

for we'd but have lived
through rose-tained eyes
where pain or suffering
would not arise

only with the march
of time,  to lament and realise
we'd self-deceived, believing
that there were an earthly paradise:

life we shouldn't over-rate
or romanticise
its bluntness , harshness
and sorrows we've to learn to recognise

Life has to be lived
though some might not
find it beautiful:
they manage somehow
with a calm acceptance
and don't succumb
to despair or grief-

fragile and vulnerable
is our very human condition
we look before and after
but seldom find our equilibrium

the self is our greatest burden
we bear as best as we can
life has to be fully-lived
it can't ever be abandoned.

I prefer
the word 'woodland'
to 'forest'
it's inviting-
(the latter
I associate
with 'being lost')
and I imagine
it's laden with rest
poetically expressed-

woodland
once my childhood heartland:
after school
there I was
chasing butterflies
in my school-dress

a cool stream
ran between
the foliage
I was lulled
by bird-songs
that drifted across
the silent space

woodland
is good-land
my bed
of tender memories
how could I
ever forget?

Religion then
I had none
when compassion
set in---mine I found
all at once:
no church
nor place of worship
an intimacy
I share with only
the Transcendental
where absent totally
is the search or reason-

the self-diminution
the letting-go
the renunciation
the non-attachment
and the final liberation-

if I need a name-
I'll call it the
'religion of man'

When you are
your own agent
of change- you create
the desired environment

If I should die
this do remember
with no regret:
I'll still love you
in equal measure
from the Other Side

I've wept over and seen too much
of the world's cruelty and misery
it's my humble sacred duty
to exercise my utmost humanity-

wars, conflicts and devastation
the massive hunger and isolation
children who have never known
a single day of peace or consolation-

how I do hate the word 'ideology'
it divides people into every conceivable category
(the 'I',  'You'  and 'They' become a huge chasm )
a justification for acts against humanity-

yet,  we're all an integral part
of one global community:
let love and compassion flourish
to herald in an enlightened century.

Happiness shared
is doubly blessed

lt's not your good look
or talent that attracts others
but your spontaneous charm
expressed in naturalness

My very old age

is of no disadvantage:

I can still appear on the stage

and much noise I can make!

Love is perceived
not by reason
but mainly
by imagination

You like yourself

this is fine

but indulgence

will make you blind

For everything
there's a limit-
even love or enjoyment
this saying does fit!

Don't say 'everyone'

when it's only 'some'

generalisations such as this

can be really dumb!

Not knowing
  isn't ignorance
  this I often choose
  in my leaning
towards emptying

shorn of questioning
and of doubting
I've found an equilibrium
in non-clinging

all forms are deceiving
in their showing-
the substance
is in hiding-

in the not-knowing
is the beginning
of discovering
that state of self-liberating

The day
  is not just 24 hours
  it's a whole continent
  of itself
  in its myriad constellations
of  happenings
and events-
an elongation
to the universe
well beyond
this definition
of 24 hours-

into this continuum
we move on
to time indefinite
until our last breath

the day then
is transformation
and even revolution
our destiny
our own becoming
until we meet
our end

Those who know you well
tend to keep away to avoid familiarity
those who have just come to know you
wish to know more out of curiosity

Faith is stronger than hope

Because I forgot myself

I discovered my true self

Life is everybody's story
but none can describe it accurately

How do we find
our level with life?
It doesn't look our way
nor cares for our strife.

Only we in deed and mind
our own worth can measure:
we'll then be able to look at it
on our terms--- without the least of fear.

The older we grow
without much questioning
we'd somehow come to know
that life isn't within our controlling

and wisdom lies in accepting
the flow of its tide in its inexorability -
what's the use then of sorrowing
over our very  vulnerability?

We will not rage nor complain
but to our humility serenely hold
in acknowledging that pain
is the heritage of us mortals all.

There's the morrow's each glorious dawning
and the calming of the mellow evening-fall
our heart should have no cause for despairing
as our past courage and patience we gladly recall.

Nothing wanting
  nothing losing:
  in the emptying
  is found everything

That which doesn't struggle
stands firm on its own and will never stumble

How do I love?
  I scarcely know
what words to say
nor what to show-

silent is my heart
in its ever fervent worship
come, hold my hand
as my feelings run so very deep-

look into my eyes
what do they speak?
Into yours as I gaze
my bliss rises to the peak-

we'll not silence break
let every moment run its course
our hearts will fill in the desired words
knowing our love will never pause.

How to get out
of trouble?
Just stay out
of trouble!

You're already a leader
in your own right:
why would you need
to lead outside?

A Face Book reader
wrote to me:
' Show your picture!'
My reply:
' From what I write
  surely me you can see!'

Autumn once again

painting the trees in dark brown

birds sing from branches

I'll never claim
to be superior
only hope
I'd not be inferior

I can't go farther
the mist is too thick
an inn I'll find for the night
another route tomorrow I'll pick-

such is the life
of a wayfarer
desolate, homeless
a lonely drifter-

no  job could I  find
I don't have a university-paper
rejected by a hundred employers
I had no choice but to be a writer

how I've failed so badly
so many times and over:
'  Your book doesn't fit us'
   was the curt reply of the editor!

   Still I'll go farther
  staying still is not the answer
  if nothing does work out
I'll try to marry a rich man's book-loving daughter!

Forget:
you'll not regret
remember:
you'll be sad-

if tightly
you hold
it's very hard
to let go-

that which is heavy
is hard to bear
that which is light
makes easy wear-

will it be
this or that?
who knows
what you'd get?

Some are OK
       some are not OK
       most seem to be half-way

Life shouldn't be rated
    beyond what it's not
   beautiful parts there are
   but not all are to be celebrated

  that which is deemed wise
  lies in juxtaposition with the absurd
  laughter is conjoined with tears
  worries often appear in a horde-

  in the web of time, restless and intricate
  frequent fevers are inevitably caught
  beauty and ugliness fiercely struggle
to regain their desired spot:

life shouldn't be held
as certainty---such it's not-
each of us bears our own cross
and we ache silently in heart and thought

copyright Peter Lim. 2024

Life is won by courage

not by playing safe

For the beyond I don't wish-
here and now as it is
there's more
than I cherish-

to own what's given
to be fully content
to embrace every moment
to taste the resplendent

I usually have
more reasons
not to do some things
from troubles me they do save

What's the good
      of being understood
     if you have to find yourself
     in the wood?

West: Expand!


Zen and Taoism:  Diminish!

If you know the geography
of your mind
you'll never be lost-
every place you can find

Is there such-
the breaking of time?
if there is
what would be the outcome?

I can't use words
just to suit you
only those which are true-
nothing else would do!

The day is yours
only if you're participating
if you aren't present
your life you're wasting !

Don't say:  I am thinking
but: Here I am-- doing!

If you have a story
tell it in minutes five
you'd drive your audience away
if that were twenty-five !

This I don't have---leverage-
  I'm just average

Not life
but you who are
the masterpiece:
the human spirit knows no bar

I can't think
of religion
without relating it
to my secular life-
my thinking
my being
the whole me
my conscience
and all that's
hidden within my inside

even my doubt
and my truth-seeking
almost endless questioning
of the truth that's never evident
even to the brightest mind

only to the present
and its demands
I need to attend to-
what's beyond
the hear-and-now
is but speculation
of the link
between the Other-land
and existing mankind

humility shall be
my guide
patience I'll endure-
the Light might appear-
until then
I'm still held behind
the isolating blind.

When asking
is only about
self-validating

Life is a very serious matter
   but doesn't prevent me from laughter