Why does the Buddha smile?

Autumn light falls on the leaves
and makes them luminous against the blue,
it falls upon a woman’s form
and chisels breath to beauty –
even desire.
Breeze percolates through the light,
quivering leaves;
life is sweet.

Like a lotus, radiant, blooming
above the fetid pond it roots in,
so the luminous beauty and joy of life
flower in every corner of time and place.
Whether we find ourselves in war or peace,
satisfied or desolated,
the honeyed light
dims not its warming grace
to match the hue of our anxiety.

Somewhere in this world,
at this moment
for some individual
there is no personal God,
there is only loss, abandonment, despair.
We each will have this moment.
Yet, the light falls,
the lotus blooms,
the grace is there
amidst the wreckage we feel entangled by.
Tranquil beauty and stark terror are all one in this world.
The lotus blooms over the stench of death,
but it blooms – daily.
And so, the Buddha smiles.

27 October 2001

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For Men: How To Attract Women

Have lots of money
— (and spend it on her).
Know how to dance.
Look good.
Smell good.
Own a restaurant.
Cook
— (very well).
Listen forever.
Wait forever
— (the prime directive).
Don’t make her wait.
Don’t interrupt.
You always like the dress and haircut.
Guess what she wants
— (and don’t be wrong).
Don’t notice
— (what you’re not supposed to).
Give compliments
— (that sound genuine every time).
Don’t criticize.
Accept criticism graciously.
Don’t look at other women.
Don’t do anything with other women.
Be nice to her mother.
Be nice to her children
— (and pay for them).
Tolerate her girlfriends.
Do housekeeping
— (or have it done).
Don’t make her jealous
— (by paying attention to your car).
Don’t go out with the boys.
Don’t drink more than she does.
Don’t smoke more than she does.
Eat what she tells you
— (on her mealtimes).
Watch her movies.
Don’t make her watch your movies.
Don’t watch sports
— (unless she does).
Freedom is frightening:
don’t be a husband off leash.
Remember:
she needs a safe man to say no to.
— Or —
don’t worry about attracting women.

6 December 2016

Pre-Traumatic Stress Syndrome

The college boy babbles excitedly,
testosterone jitters and beer foam greased,
leans towards the busty co-ed,
with high hopes.
The card in his wallet says “One-A,”
the Tet Offensive rages an ocean away.

The bridegroom fumbles knotting his tie,
it takes five tries.

The wife wakes him up,
talks about his damaged aura,
gasping and hacking to the emergency room 3 AM.
Doctor tells him “Croup.”
“Maybe you should get her a psychiatric evaluation.”
Eight months pregnant.

Career hopes rest on his next mission,
but she and the children have to vacation at grandma’s.
He watches their plane disappear up into the blue,
tight throat, heavy heart.
A letter waits for him at home,
“We are not coming back until…”

The kids have been played, fed, bathed; asleep.
She’s gone again the weekend:
transactional therapist college retreat.
Heavy rain, flooded basement, house creaks.
In the dank dark his flashlight shows
twenty feet of rolled foundation.
How much will that cost?
Upstairs, Saturday’s mail unopened:
bank statement, savings, zero balance,
joint account.

The kids are busy, know everything,
no time for the old man.
That’s okay, everything’s stable,
accounts are paid for,
the oldest likes college.
A union organizer now, meeting at noon.
Secretary puts a letter in his mailbox:
layoff.

She’s a consolation for life in the downslope years.
“Women don’t need men,” she tells him,
“men need women.”
That’s what you think, sweetheart: silent smile.
Next summer at the beach: “I want a baby.”
“Of course.” You always knew,
nature must have its way.
No restoring the sports car now,
keep your zen,
maybe she’ll still love you in twenty years.

Mother calls, father’s had a heart attack.
He leaves for the long drive in the rain.
The wipers break, scratch the windshield at eye level,
electrics are spotty.
How will I take care of her now?

Doctor gives him the news,
prescriptions, change your life,
worry to maximize,
and it costs.
But dependents have all their demands.
You can’t be an artist and have a family.
At least now I know it doesn’t really matter.
So, relax and enjoy.
You can’t make time, you can only savor it,
or lose it.
Life belongs to the alert,
peace belongs to the knowing.

29 November 2016

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Flickers of urgency
yellowing into dry curls
release themselves
into a scattering wind
drifting to inevitability.
None notice,
no matter.

24 November 2016

An Old Cur Gnaws Through

People would rather fall off their own cliffs
than have their illusions interrupted.
Our people prefer to perish in a nuclear war
than submit to hanging their wash in the sun.
It’s a matter of principle.

Why give in to happiness
when you can insist on getting what you want?
Success is not about gaining happiness,
but an obedient world bowing to your demands.
It’s a matter of principle.

Women don’t want husbands, they want dogs.
Their ideal husbands would be their dogs
with a steady income.
There’s no bestiality, they don’t want sex,
they just put up with sex to have their children.
It’s all evolutionary programming to pass on genes.
Love is entirely psychological anesthesia.
The doggie on the leash, with its balls cut off,
wagging its tail and waiting patiently,
is the woman’s dearest lover.

The old cur gnaws through its tether
and wanders off.
It’s a matter of principle.

20 October 2016

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