"3 Spring Zens"

(27)

“Dinosaur Zen” 

(Previously published as Television Zen July 10, 2015. Edited since.)

I was watching TV last night.

It was a movie about prehistoric times.

Although, it being prehistoric, 

How would they know?

A young woman with big breasts 

In a little costume 

Was fighting a dinosaur.

She had plenty of zen!

Her zen was in her bravery

As she fought the dinosaur.

And in her costume,

Which struggled to contain her.

Just in the nick of time a handsome muscleman 

In another tiny costume came along.

He quickly assessed the situation

And knew just what to do.

His zen was mighty!

His zen was the zen of valor!

He fought and slew the dinosaur.

Then he was kissed by the movie cavewoman 

With the big you-know-whats.

The camera made sure I saw

Them crushing against his manly chest,

Straining to break free from the tiny costume,

While the dinosaur 

In the background writhed and bled.

For him the straining was over.

Then as the music swelled 

Up came the words,

The End.

Hmmm.

I wonder where 

That dinosaur is now?

He had the most zen of all.

(30)

“Zen in Outer Space”

(Previously published Aug 28, 2015. Edited since.)

Is there zen in outer space?

Or is it just the sound 

Of no hands clapping?

It appears empty.

Yet it is fuller than we know.

It is even filled with things we cannot see,

But can only, 

For the time being,

Guess at.

Yes, outer space is 

Beautiful and mysterious.

Like zen is.

And patiently awaits 

Our further discovery.

Like zen does.

But, and here’s the difference,

Unlike outer space,

Zen is everywhere!

Yes! 

There is an endless supply of zen 

In the universe!

But only so much space.

(31)

“Zen in a Canna Leaf”

I saw some zen this morning, 

In sunlight 

Beaming through a canna leaf.

I try to be observant.

Especially in my garden,

Because you never know 

What you might see.

The sunlight is strong around here in the morning.

Strong enough 

To pass through a canna leaf anyway.

To pass through and nourish,

Leaving a trace 

Of beauty behind.

A miracle for my brain 

To ponder,

And my heart to delight in!

Thank you, creator!

For eyes and heart 

That see beauty 

All around me.

Beauty in the simplest things…

The normally unnoticed things…

The unchancy things…

Thank you for that beauty, too!

And for the understanding 

That flows from Zen.

Discarded Flower Zen

I found a flower today,

Laying upon a grass verge

That borders a busy highway.

It didn’t belong 

On the grass verge,

That was obvious. 

The flower was a type of orchid

Found on large, tropical trees

In southeast Asia.

Or more likely, in Florida where I live,

Found in floral bouquets

For sale in drugstores, near the checkout counter.

Automobiles on the busy highway 

Screamed by just a few feet away,

Unnerving me slightly.

I looked at the flower

And wondered,

“How did you get here?”

After all, everything has a story.

Even a discarded flower.

Then I looked up 

And noticed other flowers

Of the same type 

Scattered along the road’s edge,

And I assumed 

The flower I looked at

Was indeed once part 

Of a drugstore bouquet.

Thrown from a speeding car, I wondered?

Tossed out in anger to wilt at road’s edge,

While in the car a fighting couple 

Travelled on for miles and miles?

They fought all the way home, I imagined,

Him driving grimly and her crying, 

Both saying things they later regretted.

Yes, like all lovers do.

Even you and your lover, I’ll bet.

I know it’s true about me, and mine.

I gazed at the discarded flower by the side of the road, 

And a little sadness touched my heart.

Luckily, the terrifying scream 

Of hurtling automobiles

Just a few feet away 

Soon distracted me from this kind of thinking!

Get away, Sadness! 

I said to the feeling within myself,

And watch out for that speeding truck!

Happiness, 

However it came to exist,

Deserves my attention, too.

Let me enjoy 

This moment of beauty

While it lasts, 

Without fear or distraction.

As I should also 

Attempt to enjoy my life.

Then I looked 

With new, loving eyes of zen

At the beautiful, discarded flower,

And the noise and sadness

Of this world…

Melted into nothingness.