24 December 2007

What reply?

In this unfractured universe
where can this

“bothersome”
*
be found?

Why expend so much

energy looking for fractures

in this unfractured

unfracturable

whole?



[16 Dec 2007]

23 December 2007

Overflowing










Scrabbling for pen and paper
How can I put this into words?

This fullness, this joy!
This wonder, this beauty!

This overflowing of love
Arising as I gaze to the moon

Pausing on the old bridge
To reflect on the beauty & stillness

Within this bustling Hereford evening


[22 Dec 2007]

Falling






















Crossing the Wye
in the early evening

suddenly falling

deeper and deeper

into the depths
of the moon

shining shining

rippling rippling

reflected in the running waters

under the vast arch

of deep blue sky



[22 Dec 2007]

17 December 2007

Autumn

Grey mist in the morning
I can't find my beloved hills

Driving to work



[15 Oct 2007]

Greeting the morning

The stars overcome their shyness
And slowly emerge to greet me

From the dark morning sky

As my eyes adjust to the world outside



[11 Dec 2007]

Frost

The garden twinkles
in the dark morning

stars that fell in love

with the green earth

have come to play

to sing and dance

in the garden

with twinkling

smiles of joy!



[11 Dec 2007]

09 December 2007

A Pearl

The moon
A pearl

In the deep dark sky

Beckons me



[28 Aug 2007]

06 December 2007

Precious Gratitude

It used to be that I looked to the night sky
And only saw the moon so bright and round


Now that I have met you the night sky seems so different

No longer is the silent moon complete and all that I see


Instead I look to the night sky and seeing the moon

I look around for the stars that accompany it


For a solitary moon might be full of beauty

But together with the stars it is a dance joy and delight!



[05 Dec 2007]

02 December 2007

White bell tent

Night falls
as the woods fade

into the darkness and mist

And I retreat inside
the white bell tent
Warmth radiates
as the burning coals

give off a soft rosy glow

Joined by the light of
a single small flame
Fragrance wafts
as smoke gently curls

rising from the incense stick

Simply arranged beside
a small vase of flowers
Cries echo
as the night owls fly

on their way through the woods

And I sleep cosy and warm
in the white bell tent


[01 Dec 2007]

Precious Woods, Newcastle Emlyn, 03 Nov 2007















01 December 2007

Moments of the morning

Stretching limbs
A lively little sparrow

Joins me as it sits in the tree

For a moment


Glancing up

The bright half moon

Joins me as the clouds part

For a moment


Mind settling

A warm memory of you

Joins me as I sit with Buddha

For a moment



[01 Dec 2007]

29 November 2007

Foolish, later

A late night toilet trip
And I return to the zoo

Snores, grunts, groans, wheezes

Reverberate up and down the space

Beneath the Cosmic Buddha's smile

As I too smile and return to sleep



[25 Nov 2007]

Foolish

Upstairs people
Toss and turn restless

As a loud snore

Fills the space

But I stand

At the window

Gazing outside

To the bright moon

And the Evening Star

With a foolish grin

And a heart full of joy



[24 Nov 2007]

No joke!

The moon is out again
As the clouds race by

It's bright light

Pierces right through

Direct to my eye

While the cold wind blows

As I pause in the cloister

To compose a short poem



[24 Nov 2007]

What Question?

An honoured monk suggests I
Might have an interesting

Question or two

But really what else

Is there to ask

Besides how to solve

The Great Matter

And this bothersome “I”?



[24 Nov 2007]

Evening walk

The bright moon
Accompanies me


Whispers to me

Softly, so peacefully


Then suddenly I see

A handful of stars


Sending a spark

Straight to my heart


As joy bubbles up

With a grin!



[23 Nov 2007]

Intimate

Cutting squashes
My mind drifts

And I cut

Nanquan's cat* instead

Suddenly, awareness

Brings me back

Intimate with

Cutting squashes



[22 Nov 2007]

*Book of Serenity, Case 9: Nanquan Kills a Cat

Revealing

Cutting pumpkins
Squashes actually

Scooping the seeds out

Revealing a heart shaped space



[22 Nov 2007]

19 November 2007

Under the stars

Shining points of light
Cutting through the night


Right into my heart

The joy of being awake
Tonight!


[15 Nov 2007]

The Abbey Bells

I light the altar candles
in the early morning gloom

And then the abbey bells

from a mile or two away

penetrate the room


Or do they ring within my mind?

As we practice awakening

Together, the bells and I



[31 Oct 2007]

Surrender (Awake 2)

And yet this morning
There is something so

Calm and refreshing

Tender and intimate


Relaxing and surrendering

To the touch and the feel

Of the crashing cold

Water on my face



[26 Oct 2007]

Awake

Standing in the shower cubicle,
I press the button.

A sudden torrent of cold water

Greets me,

Drenching me in shock!


Reassuring thoughts babble on;

That soon the water will be warm.

But they are powerless against

The sheer physicality of being awake,

In the shocking cold water


And then the warm water comes,

Bathing me, embracing me.

My body drinks it in,

With deep appreciation

And awareness


Ahh!



[01 Oct 2007]

6:15am Friday

A gentle pattering
As the breeze laps

At the poplar tree

On this dark Autumn morning



[28 Sep 2007]

Self-centred

I vow to delivery innumerable sentient beings

And yet


While there is an “I”

There will always be


Suffering



[06 Sep 2007]

Impermanent

All things
come


To pass

away



[06 Sep 2007]

Arriving

The days may pass slowly
Doing very little

But the years pass swiftly

Filled with events


Ages I once talked about

As distant as the planets

Now just around the corner

Awaiting my arrival



[02 Sep 2007]

A Silly Poem

Sunday morning
and the rain pours down

the patio starts to flood

and we add the numbers up

write the letters in a row

homework's all done!


Start to cook lunch

and my mind begins to wonder

what she's doing now

down the other end of there

far away from here

and yet also close somehow


Staring at her photos

for far too long last night

sharing broken languages

and insights into living

laughing at ourselves

as we both turn into pumpkins


This funny silly sparrow

landing in my life

via msn and skype

touching down upon my desktop

causing endless smiles

and not a little strife!



[18 Nov 2007]

03 October 2007

Writing Late at night

writing late at night
dim torchlight in the tent

the pen in my right hand

mysteriously moves across

the page leaving ink marks

as it goes

my glasses put away i hold

the paper to my nose

hoping that i'll still be

able to read it in the light of day



[19 Aug 2007]

A glimpse of the moon

A glimpse of the moon
A radiant golden sphere

Settling down into the trees

As I head for my tent



[23 Aug 2007]

Bats flit

Bats flit
And the evening star rises

As we settle down

For bedtime stories



[23 Aug 2007]

The stream roars

The stream roars
like

the wind in the trees

or is it

the wind in the trees

All sounds of nature
singing one song



[22 Aug 2007]

How to capture that feeling in words?

How to capture that feeling in words?
Everything's OK.
She'll be right mate!
No worries!
No problem!
Everything in its place.
Mountains are just mountains.
Body and mind at ease.

Just a glimpse of a moment,
Being present.


[22 Aug 2007]

100 people

100 people barely known
Alone

As always

At peace



[22 Aug 2007]

Drums beat

Drums beat while
The moon struggles

To break free of the oak

And the evening star winks



[22 Aug 2007]

Walking together

Walking together
Song and dance on the hill fort

The melancholy nature of being human



[22 Aug 2007]

Memories of Tess

A dream of dancing,
Music and bodies,
Filling the space.
And Tess.

Dancing!
Dancing!
Dancing!

A flame of life.


[20 Aug 2007]

The sting of the smoke

the sting of the smoke
the warmth of the embers

the crackle of the flames
the fire speaks to me
and i listen



[19 Aug 2007]

Not feeling the need

not feeling the need
to attend scheduled activities

i take the time

just to be


here



[19 Aug 2007]

As the stream roars

as the stream roars
under the starlight

all seems quiet



[19 Aug 2007]

A multitude

a multitude of stars above
black trees around

the stream roars



[19 Aug 2007]

A low moon

A low moon glimpsed above
The silhouette of trees

Lining our field

Heralds the onset of the night


Soon joined by the evening star

Venus always there

The screeches and calls of an owl

Over the gush of the stream

So many stars above



[19 Aug 2007]

17 September 2007

Wake Up!

Even if it takes
A lifetime of mistakes

I will

Wake up!



[16 September 07]

29 August 2007

A cool evening

A magnificent moon
not quite full

A summer holiday weekend
not quite complete


Reminds me of places and people past

not quite relinquished


As I practice letting go

arriving in the present



[26 August 2007]

22 July 2007

My Rock

Getting up early
in the morning

meditation

is my rock

upon which

the waves of self concern

play themselves out


Crashing, Bashing

Sucking, Pulling

Swirling and Whirling

Twisting and Turning

Foaming, Spraying


Somewhere in their deep dark

depths emotions dwell

their menace covered by the

surface noise



[05 Aug 06]

03 July 2007

Dear Tess


















We touched

Hands, eyes, feet
Breath, chest, heart


In the fire

And in the sweat

On the earth
And in the air


Reaching angels

And drawing tears


Bodies close before

Although parted now


The dance goes on!



[27 June 2007]

30 May 2007

Pause














The River Wye
Dark at night

Looking downstream

The moon on rise
Looking upstream
The evening star


Mallards babble

And the water washes

In the stillness














[29 May 2007]

09 April 2007

...

Clouds hanging
In front of the hills

A day to get wet

Walking



[22 March 07]

12 March 2007

Familiar

A day of sitting
Back in the old familiar place

Familiar faces, spaces

Memories and feelings


Things I thought

I’d left behind

Come back to visit

Arising in my mind



[25 Feb 2007]

Day Retreat

Sitting patiently
While the mind

Scampers and jumps about

Chasing thoughts and ideas

Until suddenly observed

It lets go of its quarry

And takes a moment’s

Pause


~


Sitting quietly

While the mind

Gently observes the senses

Sights, sounds, smells, sensations

Allowed to be

Just as they are

For a moment

Now



[25 Feb 2007]

In the Morning

Black clouds
Blue sky

A rainbow over Wales


A dead fox on the road

Grey clouds

A sprinkling of birds taking flight


Sunshine streaming through

A hill glowing in the distance

A train slides through the landscape



[21 Feb 2007]

12 February 2007

A Sunday Afternoon

Poems seem to arise
Every minute or so

Gone before I find a pen and paper


~


I walk to the supermarket

I walk back

Surprised it’s already past 4 o’clock


~


I ride my new bike

An epic journey

Around a few small blocks


~


A brief visit to Maenllwyd

Feels like a journey

To Shambala and back


~


A patch of snow in the gutter

Turns out to be

A plastic shopping bag


~


Not hungry

I think about sandwiches

Goats cheese and spinach leaves



[11 Feb 2007]

05 January 2007

My Son

Storm blowing outside
JCB song on the car radio

Tears in my eyes

Sunshine in my heart



[31 Dec 2006]

Prostration

A curl of smoke
Forehead to the floor

Gratitude!



[31 Dec 2006]