Art & Poetry

The hardest and most courageous of acts isn’t to be unique, but to remain utterly common in the most humdrum places of reality, peacefully, without the need to be special. Such a human, like the unnamed star in the night-sky, continues to leave the trail of joy and happiness behind in the hearts of all those who look.

#Reflection

My artwork, on Japanese Kozo Paper.

In Vietnamese, the word "Tri kỷ" can mean soulmate. Soulmate is someone who listens and understands the song of our soul. If we found our soulmate, we are the luckiest people. This Vietnamese calligraphy shows the words "Tri kỷ" alongside my favourite lines from the greatest vietnamese classic Tale of Kieu (Truyện Kiều). Between the lines 2201 and 2202, the text reads (roughly): “Hearing her words he agreed with pleasure, And smiling he said, “How many, in this life, can see another’s soul?”

#Reflection

My artwork, on Japanese Kozo Paper.

Heart Sutra is one of the most important sutras of Buddhism. It contains the ultimate pronouncement on the nature of interdependence. Because things are interdependent, nothing is lost, and nothing is gained. Looking deeply into a flower with such insight, we can see the plant, gardener, soil, sun and the whole cosmos~

Poetry/Prose
Read slowly with a cup of tea~

Miracles

Dwelling in the common places of existence,
I weave my life with the warp and weft of happiness and sadness~

“So much talk about zen, what miracle can you perform?” you ask.

“None. But when I sweep the fallen leaves,

sometimes I see the magnolia flowers on the side, bloom” I reply~~

~ koi pond

gulping a mouthful of cosmos,

koi returned to the pond,

no one around but a mountain moon,

— an eternal witness to a thousand kisses ~

Owing

fragrance of my tea leaves didn’t fade yet,

radiance of the sun above didn’t wane yet,

when the whole existence opens upto me —

what more does this world owe me? ~~

Sleeping sky

as the boats carried loads of sunshine home,

as the birds carried crumbs of clouds to their nest,

a cup of tea and me sit in solitude:

to praise the glory of heavens with lyricless silence ~

i sing and sing but with a soft voice,

to not let the sleeping sky awaken ~~

Groundless Ground

afraid of falling,

the monkey mind

grabs hold of one object

after the other

but what are you afraid of?

oh freely falling one!

when there’s no ground beneath;

that you’ll ever crash into!

cup of water

looking deeply

into my two hands

holding

a cup of water tenderly

i see

two bits of cosmos

holding

a tiny piece of lake’s cake

reverence fills

my entire being~

Purity

All that which lies

beyond the land of

symbols and dualities

is pure and untainted

a rotten apple,

just as the way it is,

rots in the purest possible manner

and a flower,

just as the way it is,

blossoms in the purest possible manner ~~

Sunshine

when the sunshine fades away

in the evening,

and as the earth cools down:

don’t forget to

feed your vibrant smile

to those sunflowers

which slept during the day ~~

Wild blossoms

you pluck them so well —
the wild blossoms
on these low branches~

but the full moon
on the dew drop —
can you pick it?

Soulful solitude

mosquito calmly sitting on my blanket ~

the night sky above,

vast cosmos around —

solitary companions to my soulful solitude

Ways of cosmos

what are the ways of the cosmos — you ask.

this moon, vast, infinite and endless

and yet I can house it in my tiny insignificant

hands, eyes and heart —

this is the way of cosmos ~

the large is contained in the small;
and the eternity, in daily life ~~

Mightiness

And the mightiness, leave onto others. Merging with ordinary, we remain tiny. Tiny like the distant star which alone twinkles: quenching the thirst of lovers and poets staring at the night sky ~

Snow

bleak peak — no one in sight

under the snow, everything looks right ~

where is hate and where is fight?

when one is sheltered in loves’ delight!

Gifts

i mayn’t be rich, but don’t say that i can’t offer you anything.

here, take this breeze that stops by my door: the breeze that can dry up ocean of tears we shed since aeons ~

here, take with you the moon which rests in my windowsill: the moon that neither waxes nor wanes ~~

old temple bell,
can you teach any differently

from a wild geese call?

28.05.23

life, death, life, death, life
death, life, death, life, death, life, death
life, life, life, life, life~

#Haiku575

drenched
in moonlight
these blossoms dripped
drops of moon —
all day long ~

night sky

no stars

yet in your smile

I found —

a constellation

of thirty two~

Invitation

to invite the moon is easy

dig a small puddle and wait patiently the same majestic moon that penetrates seven great seas and the hearts of countless lovers

shall penetrate your puddle in equal proportion

- as long as it is calm and clean~

flower

flower blossoms
in a prison yard
as well as in green meadows —

to remain a flower
is the tenderest form of resistance;
to remain a flower
is the highest form
of prayer~

with all the sweat dripping,
where are you rushing?
sit down and catch some breath —
for it is the same mountain moon
we shall both see tonight~

one by one
these leaves fly
but can you steal any —
autumn wind?

even with those wings
you still push the earth a bit,
don’t you? —
blue jay~

Wild Blossoms

you pluck them so well —
the wild blossoms
on these low branches~

but the full moon
on the dew drop —
can you pick it?

Ant

all alone under the moon;
a solitary ant gently walks by —
breaking the loneliness~

Haiku

pecking at fragments
of the full moon on the lake —
a mandarin duck~

Haiku

generous autumn
leaves behind enough dried leaves —
to keep my fire warm~

Haiku

her face half-covered
like a bride before wedding —
the autumn half moon~

Truth

you ask me
to share my insights
and my truth

putting away
my ink brush and paper
i sit beneath the full moon —

i invite you to listen
to the chirps of crickets
penetrating the forest floor~

Astrology

this gem stone or that amulet
how can you not see
countless stars
in the fragrance of this flower?

Stillness

Who says stillness can't be defined? —
a sleeping duck
on a floating log~

Meaning

"What is the meaning of it all?" I asked
The wilderness kept quiet —
Amidst the silence and stillness
An autumn leaf fell, twirling from the sky~

Moon flower

you are a flower
for the fragrance
of your pure smile
reaches the heavens

you are a flower
for i know
it is in your nature  
to wilt

sitting by the riverside
the passing breeze steals
my tea leaves and ink brush —
but in the full moon above
i’ll rediscover your fragrance~

Fog

longing for truth
in this fog, i see nothing —
yet everything~

Rush

no need to blow —
left alone, this cup of tea
cools on its own~

Grace

such grace!
amidst this empty wilderness;
accompanying my lonely stroll —
a cuckoo’s call~

Old friend

no guests to welcome today
sitting beside me, my old friend —
sunlight on wooden bench~

Rhyme and Meaning

washing my clothes
i carry them to my dwelling
two young villagers
giggle at my passing

is this even a poem?
— you ask!
for it has no rhyme,
nor any meaning

i point you to the full moon
and serve you some tea;
placing a rice paper
and an ink brush beside it
I bid you good night

the rhyme and the meaning
i leave them to you to find —
in the heart of moonlight
and in the song of cicadas~

Snow

covered with snow
even the dried leaves
don’t crunch under the feet —
such silence~

Generosity

not leaving a single place
unembraced
these falling snowflakes —
such generosity~

Harmony

gazing at the whispering stars
 I close my eyes  
everything remains in harmony —  
opening my eyes 
full moon penetrates my vision~

Sky

they too look at the sky
for consolation and hope—
spring blossoms~

Sunrays

though i can’t see
they too fall on the earth
like raindrops;
gracefully and magically —
morning sunrays~

Art & Poetry

Poetry/Prose Read slowly with a cup of tea~

Poetry/Prose
Read slowly with a cup of tea~