Star River banks burst, moonlight torrent overwhelms bamboo
screens, the dust flows eastward through halls and corridors.
Outside, under pines, a monk sits, chants a sutra.
Seventeen lines for the monk, eighteen for the river.
~~~
Cherry blossom trails skip over courtyard flags,
in the fragrant spaces sunlight dapples, dances.
In amongst the great swirl a nun chants a sutra,
the wind and her trade lines without effort.
~~~
First image found here: http://www.art-virtue.com/painting/history/yuan/yuan.htm
Second image found here: http://realmoftokyo.blogspot.co.uk/
Powerful image in the opening couplet which flows into a pairing, the monk and nun, I like and cannot help but compare. Beautiful start to finish.
Thank you for the kind words.
It was nice to write these. Both came together pretty well.
Great sense of space and movement, turbulence then steadiness. Nice!
Thank you. But truth be told, never intended any of those. Just saw some images in my head and wanted to get them down.
Still, I’ll take them.
When the words flow they must be caught. Sometimes it feels we are just the messengers…
You know normally Buddhist monks are thought of, at least from our Western perspective, as tranquil and peaceful. But to know some of the roles played in the past by some of these monks can tell a different story. Like the Shaolin monks practice martial arts (G/Kung-Fu) and the monk Sen no Rikyu much hypothesized political power and eventual seppuku, tell us an underlying and different tone of story, no?
I like how the the first poem has a turbulent world surround the monk as he steadfastly chants his sutra. And the second is just lovely, there is a soft graceful femininity that compliments the nun.
Nothing is as it seems. And nor is it otherwise.
I really do like the nun one. It gelled pretty quickly, and each draft just built on the previous one. It’s really awesome when a poem does that.
Gorgeous imagery in your words, and the image of the nun is a great find.
Thank you for the comment.
Took a while to find that. (According to Google) Lots of monk paintings, not so much nun paintings.
I am currently reading Ayn Rand. There are so many quotes that could go with this. Here is one:
For centuries, the mystics of spirit had existed by running a protection racket – by making life on earth unbearable, then charging you for consolation and relief, by forbidding all the virtues that make existence possible, then riding on the shoulders of your guilt, by declaring production and joy to be sins, then collecting blackmail from the sinners. [Ayn Rand, For the New Intellectual]
I love how the monk is opposed to the world, and the nun of it. Wonderful.
the wind and her trade lines without effort….i like that line much…and i like how the two sets mirror each other on some elements….
Your words subtly bring a chiaroscuro texture to the monk and the nun – in the light and shadows there is calm among turbulence, turmoil swirling around an eye of silence. Beautiful.
Words that seek the wind
gorgeous imagery throughout
Cherry blossom trails skip over courtyard flags,
in the fragrant spaces sunlight dapples, dances.
Peaceful, serene. I love this line: “Seventeen lines for the monk, eighteen for the river.”
What lovely images. I have always thought of getting more into meditation, and would just love a chance to reconnect with nature, and just be still and silent. I love the brief minute of serenity that you’ve created here.
Needed these today, Poet! I thank you
What a picture you’ve painted with these words. I love the nun trading lines with the wind. Beautiful and a little exotic.
I like this. Especially how the nun is the one who knows the language of the wind.
Your strength seems to be in your incredible imagry. You never fail. This is beautiful….and your art selections right on point! A beautiful work, Sky!
So pretty. k.
i like the nun’s image and her lines shared with the wind.
This is fantastic, just beautiful.
My favorite line is: “Seventeen lines for the monk, eighteen for the river.”
love the image you create with your words..
Loving all the Eastern imagery, sentiments and mysticism – all wrapped up in concise and considered poetic lines- so nice
What a natural enchantment. I love the tread of sutra that flows and skips and swirls. This is very beautiful.
absolutely gorgeous!
there is an elegant symmetry to this, but what caught me most decidedly was:
“Seventeen lines for the monk, eighteen for the river”
dang, i love that. one of those lines you come across and wish you had written it yourself, ya know?
Our rivers do certainly deserve more prayers than monks; more than one more;
lovely poetry, Skyraft…