The Zen of Today

This morning I took a walk
through the woods. Up
and down
a mountain.

One day I shall walk this
world no more.

Today I stood on the
edge of a lake watching
a fisherman. I saw myself
in both the man and the
fish dangling
on the
hook.

One day I shall stand no more.

This evening I sit and look back
on this day knowing it will
never came again in this
same disguise.

One day I shall sit no more.

Tonight I lie down in peace
to slumber. I will fall into
dreams, and then later
awake.

One day I shall
lie in peace
forevermore
awake in dreams
at last.


No Grapes for the Widowman’s Wares

Left with no refuge against
death- dead wife and
barren vines-
he left with a basket of
thwacked finery and
thunderbird fins.

He rows his flatboat
in a river swollen
fishtail white with
testacean frothiness.
He knows there are
no laws in time.
He simply waits a slaver
like a hangman
no choice but
tying killing knots.

In town earlier before the tide
he watched a very
clever medico sterilize
the Wolfman’s bite.
The old man throws
his noose knot
from his flatboat and
wishes he was a younker.