36 Views of SF: 2. Beginning Poems
June 5, 2018

Zen Death Poem, age 51

Old chrysanthemum
Petals wilt, still looks alright.
Good for making tea.

Which shoguns ruled when Basho wrote?

Kings, Queens, Rulers, Rules
Poetry outlasts them all.
Build your Basho Hut.

Heart-Wine

Heart-wine breaks the mind –
New wine breaks old wine skins still.
Call it “Heart-break-crushed-grapes will.”

Truth with Consequences

the mind is an alibi,
a cover story for
kids grown tall
we try to fake our way
out of the heart
into the world,
but the Heart’s golden lasso
is a Wonder Woman’s knot –
we cannot escape our truth.

 

Blog pairing: Option B and Option Buddha—Sheryl Sandberg and Kisa Gotami

© 2018, Ravi Chandra. All rights reserved.

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