silence 3

mud settled 
calm clear waters
mirror the blazing sun
the cold white moon
with equal indifference
in the change
of night and day

the one plays with itself
there is no other
on seeing that
by the water's edge
silence grows
all words submerged

280

The ascetic and the lover

the ascetic 
in his searching
shuns the world
for the silent forest
or the high mountain top

the lover
in her yearning
embraces the world 
in a sparkling teardrop
in a solitary leaf
she finds the whole forest
and the mountain top

279

silence 2

if I could
I would
pile them up 
and light a bonfire
for words are unfit containers
for whisperings of soul
and only when the storyteller dies
will the silence be born

278

Ocean

Oh to be the ocean
and to bear
on open reaches
of your breast
ships sailing to their destinies
holding on to nothing
nothing at all
but in utter stillness
of your deep
sunken ships laden
with treasures forgotten

277

aflame

cold wax and wick
I was until
set aflame
by the lover's touch
I burnt darkness
to ashes

276

Burning

its in the burning 
I live
its in the burning 
I grow
its in the burning
I know
blessed am I
the beloved set me on fire !

275

Pain

pain's blade
breaking crumbling turning hardness
for seed to fall
grow and fruit

274

Nothing Belongs

wrapped in skin
packed with bone
throbbing pulsing breathing life
is mine
and
nothing 
nothing else
belongs to me

273

Mansion

I wander in
beloved's mansion
walking through doors
one by one
rooms of darkness
rooms of light
tarrying a while 
moving on
to the innermost chamber
where he waits 
holding in palms
my tears and laughter

272

What Remains

not all things die
some things remain
clasping of hands
words said unsaid
for the body has its own memories
and the soul has its own reasons

272

Being Strong

No I will be strong no more

no more will I be

that unmoving rock

holding out

against wind and water

losing little by little

the battle with time

I'd much rather be

the glacier melting

frozenness released

in singing flow

soft reed I will be

by the riverside

bending my head

low to the wind

and now if you let me

I will

lay my head on your shoulder

and weep

270

Stories

we wear our stories
wrapped around us
layer on layer
and when we meet
they speak
hold hands
quarrel 
and make love
while we
stand alone
in untouched nakedness 

269

Pearl

all her churning restlessness
is nothing 
but a silence ripening
beneath the tossing, seething ocean
pearl forming quietly

268

Chains-1, 2 and 3

Chains-1
=========
I have forgotten the taste of freedom
beloved
I have fallen in love with my chains

In darkness of the prison
beloved
I fear the sound
of your approaching footsteps
I dread the hammer's blow

Chains-2
========
you are the chain that binds
beloved
you are the blow that sets me free

in darkness of the prison 
beloved
I confound your love with cruelty

Chains-3
===========
freedom's child I am
and in my whim
I have chosen
to play with chains

267