Three More Zen Poems

Three More Zen Poems

(2)

“Zen Only Takes a Minute”

Good morning, fellow traveller.

Or afternoon, if that applies.

Care to join me 

In a little zen?

Okay, get comfortable.

Relax.

Empty your mind.

Now, take a deep breath.

Hold it…

Breathe out.

Breathe In. 

Hold it…

Breathe out.

In.

Hold…

Out.

Think of nothing 

But your breathing

Breathe In… 

Hold it…

Breathe out.

In… 

Hold…

Out.

There. 

Feel better?

Perhaps for a moment

You’ve stilled the monkey noises

In your head.

That was easy, wasn’t it?

Zen only takes a minute

To learn.

A lifetime to master.

(3)

“No Internet, Plenty of Zen”

No internet this morning.

But surprise surprise we didn’t panic.

Our world didn’t collapse.

After all, we’ve still got our health

And our golden house 

With rocket car in the garage.

There’s a nice

Zen garden in the back, too,

Just a few steps from my office,

Where I’ve spent many happy hours.

So, I put my computer to sleep

And went outside

With an eye of zen

(Which is to say an eye of love!)

To take photographs

Of flowers and plants 

And things from nature,

So close at hand.

Because beauty is everywhere,

If we would just see it.

Like zen is.

Hmmm, no internet, eh?

Good!

Think I’ll knock off

And head for a garden.

See you tomorrow.

(4)

“Morning Zen”

With the morning sun 

I feel my zen rising.

I suppose I’m a morning person, 

As they call it.

But really I’m just a person.

Morning, noon or night.

I have my victories and defeats.

Like you do.

One day I’ll be dead.

Then it won’t matter 

Which was which.

And if it won’t matter 

Which was which after I’m dead,

Why would it matter now?

Zen!

“The Zen of Elvis”

“The Zen of Elvis”

You have to draw the line somewhere.

That’s a common saying where I come from.

Maybe you too.

I wonder if it’s true?

Many things 

Accepted as fact in this world,

Are not.

And believing does not always make it so.

(Although it certainly helps.)

Elvis Presley believed it.

You can do anything you want, he sang,

But baby,

Don’t step on my blue suede shoes.

Elvis drew the line

At stepping upon his shoes.

Or maybe at stepping upon

A particular pair of shoes.

I’m not sure.

Who cares?

My zen doesn’t give a crap about such things!

Sorry Elvis.

Yet my zen wouldn’t tread upon your shoes,

Or harm you in any way,

Or hinder you or otherwise impede your life,

(Or, in your case, your death)

Unless it was ultimately, cosmically, good for you.

Of that I am certain.

You or me or Elvis or anybody.

Our essences will travel through time

Unharmed by the vicissitudes that may befall,

Because they are immortal.

That’s a reassuring thought.

So go ahead!

Draw a few lines if you must.

If it makes you feel any better.

But please remember that ultimately

You are wasting your time.

Because sooner or later,

Things will change,

Giving the line you drew 

No meaning whatsoever.

Oh.

And Elvis,

If you’re reading this,

Say hi to everybody for me.

See you,

In the cosmic scheme of things, 

Very soon.

“My Zen Loves a Laugh, Part 2”

My zen’s got a great sense of humor.

It loves a laugh!

I’m glad of that,

Because after all, who enjoys 

Being around a sourpuss?

Yes, my zen loves a laugh.

Especially at my expense.

But I don’t mind,

I can afford it

Because, apart from a little humility,

It doesn’t cost me a thing.

My zen is laughing at me all the time.

Laughing at me to remind me

How senseless it is

In this crazy world

To take things too seriously!

Ha! Ha! Ha!

So go ahead!

Why don’t you 

And your zen

Join me and my zen

In a good belly-laugh?

Ha! Ha! Ha!

Ha! Ha!

Yes! Let’s all laugh together!

To remind ourselves that 

Life is ridiculous! 

Ha! Ha! Ha!

Ha! Ha!

Ha! Ha! Ha!

Have you ever noticed 

How contagious 

Laughter is?

Ha! Ha! Ha!

Ha! Ha!

And how difficult 

It is to stop laughing,

Once you’ve begun?

Ha! Ha! Ha!

Ha! Ha!

Oh boy! Woo! 

Ha Ha Ha!

Ha! Ha! Ha! 

Uh-oh.

I think I just peed myself.

“What is zen?”

What is zen?

Zen is the way to find a way.

It is the journey and the destination.

It is the empty cup’s emptiness.

It is the form of formlessness.

It is me.

And it is you.

But if you ask me again,

And I had to attempt an answer

That we could understand,

Then I would say

The essence of zen,

As I comprehend it, 

Is to firstly understand that

You and I are as perfect 

As the gods could make us,

But in spite of that perfection 

There will always be pain

And suffering in this world.

That is the way things are.

Thankfully, there is a way 

To reduce our worldly suffering,

And it is called zen.

With zen, we recognize

The interconnectedness of everything,

Past present future,

And realize that our actions 

Have karmic consequences.

What goes around comes around,

As they say,

So it pays therefore 

Not to be an asshole.

Then we remember

That everything 

Is changing all the time,

And nothing, good or bad, lasts forever.

Because if we accept the impermanence of everything, 

We can learn to unattach ourselves 

From the (merely temporary) things and ideas 

In the world around us,

Making them far less important, 

And with this un-attachment to unimportant things

Live a freer, happier life.

After all, 

Whoever said we didn’t

Deserve to be happy?

Not me.

Nor my zen.

For we must create our happiness,

Bringing it out from within.

It doesn’t just fall from the sky.

Remember,

Loving people live in a loving world.

Hostile people live in a hostile world. 

Same world.

There’s other stuff too,

In this essence of zen.

The cultivation of a loving heart.

Compassion for all creatures.

Respect for the planet.

Respect for yourself.

Devotion to others.

Oh, and maybe vegetarianism too.

(Although this last is not strictly obligatory

In my personal essence of zen.)

But there’s no point

In listing anything else.

That’s probably enough for now.

Let me know when you’ve mastered these.

And I’ll think of some more.

One-a-Day Zen Poems

Tuesday

“Something Good is Bound to Happen”

I’m a big fan of zen.

Once I realized what it was.

Funny, but I had it all along

And didn’t know it.

You have to relax 

And let the beauty of it

Come down and through

And into you, 

In order for it to work.

Sometimes, that’s the hard part.

Letting go and relaxing.

So don’t worry if it hasn’t 

Happened to you yet.

There’s still plenty of time.

Remember, whatever 

Should happen, will happen.

Just keep yourself ready.

Listen to your heart.

And read my zen poems.

If you do then I guarantee

Eventually something good 

Is bound to happen…

To at least one of us.

Wednesday

“Morning Zen”

With the morning sun 

I feel my zen rising.

I suppose I’m a morning person, 

As they call it.

But really I’m just a person.

Morning, noon or night.

I have my victories and defeats.

Like you do.

One day I’ll be dead.

Then it won’t matter 

Which was which.

And if it won’t matter 

Which was which after I’m dead,

Why would it matter now?

Zen!

Thursday

“Listening for My Zen”

I thought I heard my zen calling,

So I listened with all my might.

But it was only the wind.

The wind which constantly rushes 

From the mountains to the sea.

And back again.

The wind that never rests.

Don’t listen to the wind as it rushes past.

You’re just wasting your time.

Real zen comes from within.

Try listening there.

After all, it’s in our souls

To feel such things.

Search your heart and see the truth of that.

There!

With a little soul-searching 

A new beginning has been made…

Zen!

Friday

“I Found Some Zen in a Palm Tree”

I found some zen today in a palm tree.

It must have been there a long time, 

For the palm is quite old.

Or maybe it was just resting in the palm tree 

When I happened along and found it.

Who knows?

Not me.

Zen’s like that.

It can be anywhere.

Anytime.

Waiting to be found.

Saturday

“I Saw My Zen in the Clouds Today”

I saw zen in the clouds today.

But that’s no trick.

Zen is everywhere.

If you know how to look.

Sunday

“My Zen Pulls Me Through”

In a tight spot

My zen pulls me through.

It always has.

Through what 

I’m not completely sure.

It’s difficult to know these days.

Although I try to hide it,

I ain’t so smart.

It’s a good thing my zen 

Knows what it’s doing.

Your’s does too,

Whether you realize it or not.

That’s the beauty of it!

Monday

“My Zen is Free For The Taking!”

My zen doesn’t come cheap,

Yet it’s free for the taking.

How is that, I wonder?

Oh well.

This world is full of contrasts,

And doesn’t always make sense.

Hardly ever does, really.

Make sense I mean.

That is the way of the world.

But it would be nice 

If this poem made sense.

So to get back to my point…

My zen is free for the taking!

You see, zen is like love.

The more you give away…

The more you gather in.

So please, take some with you.

To nourish you on your journey.

Or for any other reason you choose.

After all, it’s your zen too 

And always was,

To do with as you please.

Go ahead. Help yourself!

Don’t worry about me.

I’ll be fine.

Remember, there is an endless supply 

Of zen in the universe.

Plenty for all.