I am taking a break
from the political upheaval
and tension in Beijing.
from the political upheaval
and tension in Beijing.
I tell a friend,
chilled hot
I was once cold,
warmed cold
I was once hot;
chilled hot
I was once cold,
warmed cold
I was once hot;
I am living
bathed in the waters
of simplicity
now
bathed in the waters
of simplicity
now
and so I see
we are all
transparent spines
of light.
we are all
transparent spines
of light.
Daily earthquakes
shake the fragile walls.
shake the fragile walls.
Nightly
we are tossed from sleep
as we lay
on heated floors.
we are tossed from sleep
as we lay
on heated floors.
One toilet
for both
men and women,
for both
men and women,
one washroom
a large upstanding
wooden sculpted tub,
a large upstanding
wooden sculpted tub,
always topped full
of cedar smelling water.
of cedar smelling water.
I scrub
and I rinse
myself of the day.
and I rinse
myself of the day.
I soak in the tub
until my fingers swell,
and my hair drips
of forest smells.
until my fingers swell,
and my hair drips
of forest smells.
Heaven
visits me in this tub,
and so
I honour this space,
visits me in this tub,
and so
I honour this space,
by allowing
only thoughts,
that match
the water’s warmth,
only thoughts,
that match
the water’s warmth,
to accompany me
during
my nightly ritual
of creating
a clean peace
a peace
I can share clearly.
during
my nightly ritual
of creating
a clean peace
a peace
I can share clearly.
Bubbles
are sung
into cozy water,
I float my face
on the surface,
until I am full
of buoyant comfort.
are sung
into cozy water,
I float my face
on the surface,
until I am full
of buoyant comfort.
My limbs relax,
my still-warm
undigested dinner.
my still-warm
undigested dinner.
My pulse-stills,
my clogged-closed
circulation opens.
my clogged-closed
circulation opens.
I populate,
my hours
between baths
by spending alone time
among crowds,
my hours
between baths
by spending alone time
among crowds,
the kinetic energy
wears my warm memories.
Sometime after the year 45,
Ban Zhao (Pan Chao, Cao Dagu) wrote;
“Throughout the journey we follow the great highway.
If we seek short cuts, whom shall we follow?
Pressing forward, we travel on and on;
In abandonment our eyes wander, and our spirits roam ...
Secretly I sigh for the Capital City I love, (but)
To cling to one’s native place characterizes a small nature,
As the histories have taught us ...
In fact genuine virtue cannot die;
Though the body decays, the name lives on ...
I know that man’s nature and destiny rests with Heaven,
But by effort we can go forward and draw near to love.
Stretched, head uplifted, we tread onward to the vision …”
wears my warm memories.
Sometime after the year 45,
Ban Zhao (Pan Chao, Cao Dagu) wrote;
“Throughout the journey we follow the great highway.
If we seek short cuts, whom shall we follow?
Pressing forward, we travel on and on;
In abandonment our eyes wander, and our spirits roam ...
Secretly I sigh for the Capital City I love, (but)
To cling to one’s native place characterizes a small nature,
As the histories have taught us ...
In fact genuine virtue cannot die;
Though the body decays, the name lives on ...
I know that man’s nature and destiny rests with Heaven,
But by effort we can go forward and draw near to love.
Stretched, head uplifted, we tread onward to the vision …”
at the "Immutable Island of Melodious Sound"
at the "Immutable Island of Melodious Sound"
-byKarinLisaAtkinson.jpg)
at the "Immutable Island of Melodious Sound"
