here in the twilight zendo
things are not what they seem
once false move can send you
plummeting through the thin ice

here in this frozen landscape
three monks in rags
feet bound with straw
are crossing over

we must be vigilant at all times
there are fissures that are perilous
I drop a stone into a bottomless well
a ruined house leaks moonlight

all signs read no way out
there are shackles of every form and no form
on the frozen dune
we climb to see no one

I stare at a black tile
and see the ten thousand arms of Kannon
we walk the thin ice
with great trepidation

we are nearly over
to the other shore
when I hear a crack
in the ice

here in this twilight zendo
no sound
no river
no ice

RINZAI BOX

Had to have a psych eval
at the box factory
a human resources workup
to make sure
I could handle work again
making cardboard condos
for little mammal prisoners
of the pet trade
who live on hot windowsills
until someone comes to love them.

I got too depressed once
when I found tiny bunnies
mewling in a dumpster
their only refuge
yes
a box I had made
you could tell
it said assembled with care
by Kevin
and I missed a month of work
and got written up
for just being sad.

The shrink diagnosed me
a cognitive distorter
a predictor of worst case scenarios
but I disagreed
since I saw the sad bunnies for real
and he puffed up like a blowfish
stammering you’re the patient
I’m the man.

Well I’ve been around the zendo
so I challenged him
smartypants answer this…….
Do bunnies in boxes
have Buddha nature?

Irrational and pointless he said
hmmmmm I said
how do you know
maybe you’re a narcissist
on a psychobabble fugue
echoing in a therapy box.

But I have Buddha nature
and I put that in the boxes I make
and the Buddha bunnies go in the boxes
and you here in your Buddha office
are not separate
just uniquely boxed  
and the label on the bunnies' box says
assembled with care by Buddha.

Make a Zendo
of your hovel.
It doesn't matter
where you park
that lovely ***,
it always floats
on nothingness.

  ~mce

Softer than the rain
The Buddha silent sits
California train
Overcoming splits

Softer than the rain
Deer, Antelope, hope
Buddhamind in Bangkok
To Bangkok comes the Pope

Som tam, yellow curry
To please two Thai tea
Francis of Assisi
Gracias, *** Lee

Silent in the forest
Silent in the Zendo
7 dear deer
Mio Myo pretendo

            Loyola