S Shah’s Reviews > Collected Poems > Status Update

O I today
sad as Chu Yuan
stumbled to the store
in broiling Florida October
morning heat cursing
for my wine, sweating
like rain, & came to my chair
weak & trembling
wondering if I'm crazy at last
—O Chu Yuan! No!

That we walk around clung
To Earth
Like beetles with big brains
Ignorant of where we are, how,
What, & upsidedown like fools,
Talking of governments & history,
—But Mount Hozomeen
The most beautiful mountain I have ever seen,
Does nothing but sit & be a mountain,

I find myself wanting to do a live reading of San Francisco Blues.

Unfortunately found Mexico City Blues a bit difficult to get through—I'd wanted to love it. The Scripture of the Golden Eternity resonated significantly more after taking a short break to read something else.

190th Chorus
What I have attained in Buddhism
is nothing
What I wish to attain,
is nothing.

Let me explain.
In perceiving the Dharma
I achieved nothing—
What worries me is not
nothing
But everything, the trouble is
number,
But since everything is nothing
then I am worried nil.

p. 133