Learn by little the desire for all things

Learn by little the desire for all things
which perhaps is not desire at all
but undying love which perhaps
is not love at all but gratitude
for the being of all things which
perhaps is not gratitude at all
but the maker's joy in what is made,
the joy in which we come to rest.





Wendell Berry
Photo:  Peter Bowers

Cutting Loose

Sometimes from sorrow, for no reason,
you sing. For no reason, you accept
the way of being lost, cutting loose from
all else and electing a world
where you go where you want to.

Arbitrary, sound comes, a reminder
that a steady center is holding
all else. If you listen, that sound
will tell where it is, and you
can slide your way past trouble.

Certain twisted monsters
always bar the path—but that's when
you get going best, glad to be
lost, learning how real it is
here on the earth, again and again.





William Stafford
Photo:  Peter Bowers

Fullness

This is fullness.

That is fullness.

From fullness springs fullness.

Take fullness from fullness and

only fullness remains.

Om peace, peace, peace.

Om purnam-adah purnam-idam

Purnaat purnam-udachyate

Purnasya purnam-aadaaya

Purnam-eva-avashishyate

Om shanti shanti shanti

Invocation Brhadarayaka Upanishad

photo:  Peter Bowers