"How Big Is Your Zen?"

(66)

“Interconnected”

Water, rock, plant.

You, me, all.

Past, present, future…

Interconnected!

(82)

“Marriage Zen” 

Boy! It’s hard to be married sometimes!

I suppose I’m not the first person 

To have thought that thought, am I?

Not by a long shot, eh?

I’m positive my wife

Has thought it more than once.

I can’t blame her.

Being married to me isn’t easy!

But being a zen man,

I try to understand

That life is full of suffering

For human beings.

(And all other creatures too, 

But I’m just talking about 

Married creatures now.)

Yes, we all must suffer!

Especially it seems 

For the sake of love.

But if she were listening,

Instead of giving me a beautiful example

Of The Silent Treatment,

And I were speaking,

Instead of hiding in my office

Typing on a keyboard,

I would want to say

To my life-partner;

I Love You.

Are you listening,

Dear wife?

I’ll say it again.

From my heart to yours.

I love you.

Whatever we’re fighting about today

Won’t be important 

A thousand years from now.

I guarantee it.

Only the love we shared

Will be important.

Come, hold my hand

As we journey together 

Toward infinity.

Love

(And zen)

Will show us the way.

(84)

“How Big?”

“How big is your zen?”

A student once asked me.

“That’s an easy one,” I answered.

“My zen is very… er, big.

Or rather say it’s everywhere all around.

Or maybe never-ending is a better term for it.

All encompassing?

Hmmm.

I’m finding it a little 

Difficult to describe,” I admitted.

I was a little embarrassed

And wanted to change the subject.

So I added, “That’s zen for you!”

And shrugged my shoulders.

The students laughed,

And my ignorance 

Went undiscovered

For another day.

Zen!

"Two Zen Tuesday"

(34)

“Trust Your Zen”

(Published previously on Rusty’s Blog, Aug 28, 2015. 

Extensively reedited.)

“Trust yourself,” my zen said to me.

“Huh?” I answered.

(For I don’t always catch

What my zen says

The first time around.)

“Trust yourself,” my zen repeated.

“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?)

“Trust yourself,” 

My zen repeated

With some exasperation.

“I’d rather trust you,” 

I answered.

“Same thing, dummy,” 

Replied my zen.

(35A)

“Zen and Anger and the Lost Wristwatch” 

I remember my first wristwatch.

It was given to me by my father

For doing well in school.

I was probably eight or nine.

I couldn’t have been any older,

Because I stopped doing well at school

The year my mother died.

And she died when I was ten.

It was a bit Mickey Mouse,

That wristwatch.

But it told good time.

Until I lost it.

I took it off in the restroom at school

To wash my hands

And accidentally left it on the sink.

Realizing a moment later,

When I returned to the sink…

It was gone!

It saddened me to think

A fellow schoolmate

Would take it.

It angered my father 

That I lost something valuable.

He said I should learn 

To look after my things better.

“Maybe this’ll teach you,” he added.

But I couldn’t see it his way,

And felt no remorse for the loss.

After all, I didn’t do it on purpose.

My dad remained angry, though,

Which hurt my little heart.

You see, I wasn’t old enough

To understand that his anger

Wasn’t about me 

Or some stupid wristwatch.

It was about the death of my mother,

And the regrets my father bore

Deep in his heart.

He was angry with himself.

That’s why I get angry, usually.

I’m angry at myself.

Perhaps, sometimes, you are the same?

After all, nobody’s perfect!

Listen to me, please.

I think this is important.

Anger is a waste of good zen!

Which even though free and everywhere,

(As I’ve said many times)

Mustn’t be wasted.

And who gives a crap,

If you’ll pardon the expression,

About material things?

My zen reminds me every day;

‘The yearning for possessions

Can only lead to unhappiness.’

Ah, my zen!

Thank you for your loving wisdom!

Thank you for your humanity!

And thank you for helping me 

See a way

To avoid going crazy

In a world

I cannot control…

But must not fear.

Hmmmm,

That last couple of paragraphs

Sounded pretty wise.

Looks like dad was right, after all.

I did learn something.

Ha! Ha! 

I wonder whatever happened 

To that Mickey Mouse watch?

It’s probably somewhere now, 

Still telling the time,

Quietly ticking.

Ticking away the time…

Zen!

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.