#koan poems on Hello Poetry

Paul NP Mar 2021

A Jeweled Mirror

You may call it Sky.
I call it Blue Breeze.
You may call it Sun.
I call it Zen.
You may call it Rose.
I call it Reason.

#zen #koan #creative #samadhi #metaphorical #soma #sky #reason #short #poem

Norman Crane Sep 2020

Perspectives

The flag blew,
asking
Is it wind or flag which moves?
Wise man speaks:
It's you.

Famous koan distilled into a rhyming haiku.

#koan #koans #wise #wisdom #zen #tao #taoism #buddhism #haiku #short

Zywa Aug 2020

[ Then I heard the sound ]

Then I heard the sound

of only one clapping hand –

and my cheek turned red.

Koan by Hakuin, Japan, 1686-1769

Collection "Ifless"

#koan

Justin Aptaker Aug 2019

koans

like koans
halting in their tracks
your logical thought
processes like a train, black and long
when it runs in a padded room
small, silent, white

Written ca. 2006

#koan #zen #buddhism #insanity #madness #crazy #mysticism #philosophy #existential #spiritual

ZenOfferings Dec 2018

Haiku 21

Set your bundle down
Satori in an instant
Pick your bundle up

#haiku #zen #koan #life #love #wuwei #satori #enlightenment #stress #nothingness

ZenOfferings Nov 2018

Haiku 13

The great orator
With open ears I listen
For the wind speaks not

#haiku #zen #rhetoric #nature #wind #listening #speaking #compassion #wuwei #koan

Seán Mac Falls Jun 2017

10 Images of the Raven

( Haiku )

1
black God

Huge cumulus clouds,
Exploding into the blue,
  .  .  .  Shadowed by raven

2
valley morn

Dark hands working fields,
Raven tracing mountain crests,
  .  .  .  Carnal tillers wake

3
Raven spell

Dark sound raven makes,
Chortles top fir tree, haunting—
  .  .  .  Druids incantation

4
unfaithful

Snow covers valley—
Solitary raven staining world,
  .  .  .  Love has turned black

5
outcast

Many years alone,
Suddenly— old thoughts of her,
  .  .  .  Lone raven in sky

6
mischief

Lone raven cackles  .  .  .
Clouds splinter across the sky,
  .  .  .  Mist cuts down the woods

7
marked

Full moon crowns tall pine,
Raven landing in cross hairs,
  .  .  .  Dark angels halo

8
Loki

Raven knows a charm,
A child's costume jewelry,
  .  .  .  Colours a black eye

9
tall tale

Zenith of winter—
Lone raven in naked tree,
  .  .  .  Spring only legend

10
dark angel

In his feathered dress  .  .  .
Raven shrouds beneath the clouds,
  .  .  .  Even eyes are black*
.

#love #haiku #nature #contemplation #confusion #spirit #raven #mystic #koan

Seán Mac Falls Jan 2016

10 Images of the Raven

( Haiku )*

1
black God

Huge cumulus clouds,
Exploding into the blue,
  .  .  .  Shadowed by raven

2
valley morn

Dark hands working fields,
Raven tracing mountain crests,
  .  .  .  Carnal tillers wake

3
Raven spell

Dark sound raven makes,
Chortles top fir tree, haunting—
  .  .  .  Druids incantation

4
unfaithful

Snow covers valley—
Solitary raven staining world,
  .  .  .  Love has turned black

5
outcast

Many years alone,
Suddenly— old thoughts of her,
  .  .  .  Lone raven in sky

6
mischief

Lone raven cackles  .  .  .
Clouds splinter across the sky,
  .  .  .  Mist cuts down the woods

7
marked

Full moon crowns tall pine,
Raven landing in cross hairs,
  .  .  .  Dark angels halo

8
Loki

Raven knows a charm,
A child's costume jewelry,
  .  .  .  Colours a black eye

9
tall tale

Zenith of winter—
Lone raven in naked tree,
  .  .  .  Spring only legend

10
dark angel

In his feathered dress  .  .  .
Raven shrouds beneath the clouds,
  .  .  .  Even eyes are black

#love #haiku #nature #contemplation #confusion #spirit #raven #mystic #koan

Mike Essig Apr 2015

Zen Fight At The Satori Bar Room

The other day in a bar
a young man threw down,
called me out, and Said,

"How do you
become a poet,
oldtimer?"

I sat my bourbon down,
looked him dead in the eye,
thought I might fling
an impossible koan
to take him out,
but instead I answered.

"Listen close and I'll tell you true.
It's all in the Muse, kid.
Not a muse; The Muse.
The only Muse for you.
And you'd better start looking now
because it can take your whole life."

I finished my drink.

"Next time," I said," ask me why
the bridge flows, but the water
is motionless."

He sat stunned,
philosophically
out-gunned.

I sat my empty glass down
and slowly walked away.

Another notch on the handle
of my Karma pistol.

No matter how good you are,
they just keep coming.

~mce

Zen Gunfight?

#poetry #muse #zen #koan #gunfight

Mike Essig Apr 2015

That Koan Bites The Dust

When I look into her eyes,
I see my face before I was born.

Ha! Take that Zen Master.

Throw me a hard one next time.

~mce

Zen Koan: What was your face before you were born?

#eyes #zen #koan