Expression: Striving

Oh!
How difficult it is
To see
That even
The inability to see is, ‘it,’

That all our striving
Is ‘it,’
That even at rest
Or amidst the fray,

Working every day
Or sleeping,
Walking, running
Or creeping,

Eating, breathing,
Washing and cleaning,
Sitting
And daydreaming,

All these
And more
Are just exactly
What we’re looking for,

Making tea
And drinking it,
Struggling with pain
And relaxation,

Racing against the clock
And putting our feet up,
Running for a train
And rushing home again,

It’s all laid out in plain view
But still we strain
To make some gains,
On the road to where we’ve always been.

Express: All Right

The only thing
That prevents us
From attaining realization
Is the effort to attain it

And yet, this effort too
Is nothing other than
That which we seek
And keep seeking,

The seeking is ‘it’ as well
And so,
Is perfectly acceptable,
As are the sacrifices we make.

Such sacrifices are ‘it’ too
And completely unnecessary
But totally right,
Even though unnecessary

And those who seek
Are just as right
As those
Who don’t.

The ones seeking relief
And the ones who don’t
Living together
In the same world,

Each known only
In terms of the other,
Each interpenetrating
And inseparable,

For without
One another,
How could they
Know themselves?

Expounding: Carrying on with the Inquiry

The great challenge continues,
The quest never ending;
To get to the end
Makes no sense,
For how could that be?

What end could there be?
An end to this individual life,
Probably
But what is that?

Right now, I could not say,
Am uncertain but unconcerned,
The light of existence burns,
Inside and outside,

The fire goes out
And the ashes cool,
Until no heat’s left over,
Neither a flicker nor a sputter,

Not even a stick stirred
Through the mucky mess remaining
Reveals any sparks
Or heat retaining;

And yet, does not the potential remain,
For another flame,
To arise from the dark?
Is there a brand new blaze in waiting?

And if so, what would it be?
Could it be me?
Or something completely different?
Will I be here to see?

Or if not, who else?
And when?
Twill it be somebody close at hand
Or in a completely different land?