Embedding: Re-enforcing the Roots

Well, that was useful,
To let go of the past,
To temporarily forget
For as long as this lasts;

These regular eruptions
Are such diverting interruptions,
Then I bring the attention back
And await the next attack.

Mara strikes fast
And out pours another blast,
From the volcano within
Upwells a ferocious din.

But eventually I return
And Mara’s invitations do spurn,
Then peaceful and free,
Sidestep another spree.

Even when I do stumble
And take a tumble,
Eventually I pop right up
And continue on to further work,

Rekindling the spirit
And refreshing the mind
With whatever skillful means
My heart can find.

With compassionate eyes
I turn towards the trouble,
Pouring water on the lava,
To soothe the hot river;

Then more gently it flows
Cools down and less glows,
Gradually hardening into strength
And returning harmlessly to earth.

Embarkation: Renewal

It’s a story of gathering frustration,
Year after stormy aching year
But who would want to hear?
No, and I won’t keep on telling it;

I’ll toss the old tale out
And get back to work,
The real labour
Of pulling pieces back together

Or, perhaps alternatively
Build an entirely new structure,
As happens anyway
In every moment,

Although it’s difficult to discern,
As repetition predominates;
These recurring themes,
Which fume and steam.

Turning it around
Is most likely sound;
I do it again and again,
Each time I pick up the pen.

No longer wishing to dally
With past folly,
Nor to linger over
Yesterday’s topple overs;

Looking ahead
Or even right here instead,
Discarding the duds
And recollecting the proud ofs.

Already I feel better
And embrace the welcome change of inner weather,
Rather than creating more rain
Than has already rumbled down the pane.

Emancipation: Penetrating Vision

Nothing to lose
Except delusions,
Better to clearly see
Even that which is unpleasant.

Otherwise, how else
Can one make wise decisions?
Without an unobscured view,
How can one determine what to do?

But such clarity
Is quite difficult to obtain
And even harder to retain,
It being so fleeting;

Yet even the clouds
Scuttling across the sky
Are part of it
And held by it;

And so,
Even by looking at these,
One can see something
Of what is,

Although they clog the vision
Of the blue beyond,
They are inseparable from it,
As they drift by.

And soon these fluffy blinds
Sail through
And once again
There’s only sky.

And after sunset, a starry night
Brings much delight
But if one forgets,
Even this can be blinding.