"3 Stardust Zens"

“3 Stardust Zens”

[Performed April 12, 2017]

(1)

“Trust Your Zen”

“Trust yourself,” my zen said to me.

“Huh?” I answered,

Being at the time

Distracted by the world

And the part I play within it.

“Trust yourself,” my zen repeated, adding,

“Everything you need 

Is right inside you

This very minute.”

“Everything?” I answered. 

“That sounds like a lot.

Are you sure?”

(You see, I was afraid of trusting 

Just myself alone.

For whom would I blame

 If I failed?)

“I’d rather trust you,” 

I said to my zen.

“Same thing, dummy,” 

It replied.

(2)

“Dinosaur Zen” 

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 

Caveman with rippling muscles came along.

He quickly assessed the situation

And knew just what to do.

His zen 

Was the zen of valor!

He fought and slew the dinosaur.

Then he was kissed

By the young 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.

(3)

“Zen in Outer Space”

Is there zen in outer space?

Or is it just the sound 

Of no hands clapping?

It appears mostly empty,

Yet is filled

With things we cannot see,

But can only, 

For the time being,

Guess at.

Yes, outer space is

Strange and mysterious.

Like zen is.

It’s been there since the beginning of time,

Rushing outward toward infinity.

Like zen has.

It patiently awaits 

Our further discovery.

Like zen does.

Yes, zen and outer space share many traits.

But, and here’s the big difference;

There is an endless supply 

Of zen in the universe…

While there is only so much space.

———

Thank you!

I’m the writer Rusty Pliers!

Goodnight!

"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.

Five Zen Friday

Zen in Outer Space

Is there zen in outer space?

Or is it just the sound of no hands clapping?

It appears empty out there.

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.

Just like zen is.

And it patiently awaits our further discovery.

Just like zen does.

But, and here’s the difference,

Unlike outer space,

Zen is everywhere!

There is an endless supply of zen 

In the universe!

Blast off!

That’s my advice.

Leave this planet now and then.

There’s plenty of zen out there,

Beyond the confines of this earth.

Zen on the I-95

“Empty the pond to get to the fish!”

For many years I didn’t know 

What was meant by that remark.

It sounds very zen-like I thought,

And ought to be comprehended.

Then one day it struck me.

It wasn’t while I was fishing.

It wasn’t while I was idling in a canoe on a pond

(Although I’ve done both of those things).

No.

It was while I was driving along the I-95.

I was doing about seventy-five.

When it came to me about the fish and the pond.

Of course, zen being zen,

I realized,

There is no answer.

That’s the beauty of it!

That’s in Florida, by the way.

The I-95.

Not the pond.

I don’t know where that is.

My zen doesn’t bother with details like that.

Trust Your Zen

“Trust yourself,” my zen said to me.

“Everything you need for this life 

Is right inside you,” said my zen.

(I’m a big believer in zen,

You might have noticed.)

“I’d rather trust you,” I answered.

“Same thing, dummy,” replied my zen.

The Bravery of Zen

There was a storm last night.

Buckets of rain.

Bolts of lightning.

And many claps of thunder.

Very many.

Very loud.

Scary.

The cat hid under the couch,

And wouldn’t come out.

But my zen was there,

Standing right beside me,

Holding my hand.

Me and My Zen Will Be Long Gone 

You don’t have to bury me when I’m dead,

Or cremate me or float me down a river,

(As lovely as that sounds)

Or any ceremony else.

What will I care after I’m dead?

But I hope you’ll wait at least that long

Before disposing of the body.

Ha Ha.

That was a joke to lighten the situation,

Which was getting heavy with Death.

All joking aside,

I must ask again.

No funeral ceremony, please. 

Nothing like that for me when I die, thank you.

Unless you need it

For your own sake.

To help you deal with our friend Death,

Who’s always hanging around.

It’s no problem to me.

With strong zen like mine,

After I’m dead …

I’ll be long gone!

See you on the other side.