Chinese Zen Poetry

Candles burning on a cloudy and cold Sunday morning.
A good day to enjoy reading and enjoy my writing.


It took me by surprise several years ago
that I would enjoy  Chinese Zen Poetry
Introduced to it
as I searched my son's books.
I brought his books downstairs by my reading chair
and began to read for a long time.
Strange, reading these poems was a peaceful experience
and still is.

Strange that a southern born and raised of a teenage mother,
and knew no one in her young years even familiar
with this type of literature
would be fond of it.  But then there is no one
in my past family that I relate too
in many ways.  My mother told me many times
over her lifetime
that if I had not been born at my grandmother's home
in her grandmother's bed
she would not think I was her child :)

The Mountain Poems Of Stonehouse
The Collected Songs Of Cold Mountain
and I must order and finally arrived last week.
I must have it...
The Zen Words Of Stonehouse.

Stonehouse was a fourteenth century Buddhist monk who became a hermit
at age 40.    That is all I am going to share.

Page after page is underlined and many little slips of paper mark all the special words.


I can read for hours and relate so to these poems.
Maybe it is because of my love of nature, peace, quiet and solitude
that I finally received as a gift at the age of 43.

Never could this one return to the life she lived before this.
Of course
I am well aware that I have never simplified to the point that has been in my heart.
But I am a woman, raised simply, luck or curse would have it of being in a business that
was a young couples dream come true that provided much.  As soon as it arrived, it was gone.  But it was an
education for this one and one I would not wish on anyone as it almost destroyed me.

At this time wonderful, educated professional children,  grandchildren beginning
in the business world and 2 young ones that are well on their way
fill my world with so much joy.

"I saw through my worldly concerns of the past
I welcome old age and enjoy being free
rope shoes bamboo staff the last month of Spring
paper curtains, plum blossoms and daybreak dreams
immortality and buddahood are merely fantasy
freedom from worry and care is my practice
last night what the pine wind roared
that was a language the deaf can't hear"

"The body lasts about as long as a bubble
may as well let it go
things don't often go as we wish
who can step back doesn't worry
we blossom and fade like flowers
we gather and part like clouds
I stopped thinking about the world a long time ago"

A sample of this poetry
in these books I cherish

Again
these poems and books
speak to my heart.