nothingbutpond's 'on having no perch'

where motion ceases

nothingbutpond — Sat, 02 May 2009 19:06:50 +0000

he walks the grid,
careful of where he steps.
–it quivers…
the point is to keep moving, as
content arises only where motion ceases.

to elaborate

nothingbutpond — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 23:59:12 +0000

to elaborate would be to yield to the multiplicity
which brought me near to here.
with all due respect,
I’ll walk the rest of the passage alone,
knowing no concern for losing the way.

wrinkle his mind

nothingbutpond — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 23:53:54 +0000

wrinkle his mind in the nick of time:
imagination tries to smooth the convoluted universe,
while one Attempting finds the mountain of
understanding to be full of inviting slopes and moguls.
(at once head over heels,
ruined
and unconcerned.)

problems

nothingbutpond — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 21:03:28 +0000

he never has ‘problems’,
but didn’t realize it until
‘problems’ didn’t have him.

buddha bellies

nothingbutpond — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 02:01:52 +0000

buddha bellies empty of mind,
now able to hold all tastes before them.
buddha bellies full of Mind
teach us to indulge in the feast.
(such a short time before the tables are cleared.)

mid trip

nothingbutpond — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 00:25:03 +0000

balancing in mid trip —
that is the ironic,
yet equanimical,
paradox of our Effort.

or

nothingbutpond — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 23:18:45 +0000

he laughs first thing. hah!
what counts is to be able
to laugh as the last thing…..

(note: in no way is it intended that this incautious declaration contravene or even slightly impugn those who insist on laughing first or those who diligently strive to practice both laughing positions, although it is well understood that the latter practice is fraught with the possibility that the sedentary part of one’s mind will consider the more adventuresome part even more suspect.)

drifting motes

nothingbutpond — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 02:35:51 +0000

thoughts can shrink a world by grabbing
at drifting motes with sweaty palms and turning
the churning into the mud that cakes the mind.
but that glaze can be brittlized with enough internal heat…
cracked and sliding, the background separates–
a taking away toward clarity.

to chase

nothingbutpond — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 01:44:27 +0000

to chase a figure of speech is much like seeking a “better” way to follow your aim,
yet chasing only creates a chase.
it’s not– ‘how would you recognize the quarry?’
but rather, ’why do you acknowledge and sustain the hunter?

tromping

nothingbutpond — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 01:47:48 +0000

listen.
all is quiet out here, except
for faux haiku ocasionally tromping in.
(where are slippers for its syllables?)

not even damp

nothingbutpond — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 01:11:30 +0000

without breaking the water,
I swim the pond
of no shores.
my backstroke leaves
behind all senses.

remaining self,
not even damp.

barely a distinction

nothingbutpond — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 12:49:27 +0000

the kids go in and out the dog door.
there is barely a distinction.
in here, out there.
it could be raining, but it is not.
their coming and going has no barriers.
consciousness likewise.
all is coming and going.

simplicity that eludes..

nothingbutpond — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 01:55:58 +0000

I have to say, it seems much more clear, precise and direct to speak of ‘climbing the one pointed mountain of serene effort and stepping off into the void of pure namelessness’, or ‘to resolutely have your nervous system walk the rocky road through illusion until one is able to turn the brain’s listening-to-itself-ability into a watching-the-speaking-part-ability, form bare attention, and see into the process that imprisons you and keeps you believing you are asleep’. Yet..and yet, it is simplicity that eludes the net of reason and begs another type of invasive consideration…

everywhere pineness.
yet the maples take no offense.

mouth the words as if they were a last meal, and taste, no consequence.
only some small nourishment be one’s tangible aim, however transient.

inflatable words

nothingbutpond — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 01:33:10 +0000

tweaking the riff raff of his allusions,
now he, nay, his pen is pumped.
thus to dive once more into those
inflatable words. ..
damn the torpid, full speed ahead.

pulling taunt

nothingbutpond — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 02:16:51 +0000

he takes the archers stance,
pulling taunt while relaxed,
aiming without looking,
releasing without letting go.
he does not miss.
everywhere his arrow could possibly be, the target lives.

barely a question

nothingbutpond — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 02:11:39 +0000

to discriminate or not?
it’s barely a question.
naturally, it appears obvious
until you find your acumen
is mere bias,
and acceptance has swallowed your dictionary.
(to differentiate between self and other
is way too formal an affair…)

lunchbox

nothingbutpond — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 02:31:33 +0000

as you pack the world in your lunchbox,
use your tongue for tasting, and not
for describing your meal

felling

nothingbutpond — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 03:09:56 +0000

the cry of PENCIL! preceded
the felling of tall considerations.
they noisily landed on the paper,
crushing any previously residing there.

all possible nuance

nothingbutpond — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 01:36:18 +0000

all fall I have walked
my yard, observing all
possible nuance.
not once did I remember
the summer mowing.
coolness cools, and
erases.

almost undressed

nothingbutpond — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 14:49:53 +0000

almost undressed.
one piece every few seconds.
pretty cool carpet-layer,
ever a maple though, still teaching
fall semester to whoever attends.

all fall

nothingbutpond — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 12:07:57 +0000

green leaves.
yellow and reds
arrive,

all fall.

Life hesitated

nothingbutpond — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 17:28:10 +0000

he used to say, “stand back, fool!”
when he thought only he could hear.
but Life hesitated, turned, and looked around,
slaying all foolishness.

ready pressure

nothingbutpond — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 01:58:46 +0000

I found ready pressure.
forget the description.
it worked
by not letting it work.
there is a good lesson here:
     know what evades and releases the stress.
     then stomp on it, break it into several places.
     then enjoy the stress.
     it bears you gifts from afar.

cascading

nothingbutpond — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 02:57:17 +0000

cascading words tumble on to the page;
he could just as well catch them with his mouth,
but how could he take his name off his mouth?

some simple handle

nothingbutpond — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 01:11:08 +0000

he says ‘he’ or ‘I’ throughout the travelogue,
but it isn’t himself that is spoken of.
     we take some simple handle, such as a pronoun,
     and forget it is just that.
                    and soon it’s carrying the weight of the earth.

all are compliant

nothingbutpond — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 12:54:25 +0000

the lines are long, but all are compliant.
no mere flu shots here, all injections are free.
a daily dosage of word and image–
the jones fixed till next time.
they leave contented
with practiced frowns.

I had to turn away.

nothingbutpond — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 00:58:03 +0000

someone asked if I can cook.
I had to turn away and giggle.
I see only food. I be only oven.

significance

nothingbutpond — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 01:05:01 +0000

significance is a can opener.
unlocks, decontainerizes.
there is stuff here, and I am here
with that stuff, and I know I am
here with that stuff.
all is a significant presentation,
that computer speaker, that lamp,
that lady bug, that roach, that coffee
cu-excuse me, there is something
with extra significance that begs
attention….

things don’t

nothingbutpond — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 09:59:32 +0000

things don’t smell
as strong in the cold.
is it my nose or
are fragrances water soluble
and ice up on the way?

the same trick..

nothingbutpond — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 13:39:20 +0000

ever noticed those cheap, extra thin
restaurant napkins?
they are embossed with little bumps
to make them feel thicker.
actually, because of the bumps,
they are ‘thicker’…
seems like my mind plays the same trick…