TRAVLIN LIGHT

It’s unlike me to work on a poem.

I take my cue from the packing –

what to take with me, what did I bring,

what needs to come with me back?

I look at things and one by one

they call to me, remind me to connect

inner with outer, need to take care of myself,

fulfill the burden

drop the illusion.  The body

has served me well.

I have tried in my chains

to take care of it – after years trying to escape it –

to be grateful for the chance it has given me

to burn karma.  While still a child I was granted

a glimpse of light from the other world.

For a long time

the light flickering in the corner of the dark

threatened to wake me from the dream of life,

but now I see it was a gift.  I am a bird that can fly

in search of the center

but in ending we feed the earth.

I’ve accumulated things that will be left to others,

let them be musicians and not collectors,

let them be dancers not watchers.

After all else drops away,

only awareness — after the illusion has drained.

It’s taken me 66 years to come to this.

There is no list of things.

There is no list of things,

things we call good, and other bad

things and bad people,

things that are ours, and things we don’t want,

things to heal, things to kill,

things to not think about,

but really the list is empty.

You can write a poem about it but really

there is no poem.

There is only traveling.

We keep our eyes open.

5/26/14