Three Pines and a Buddha - Part 3
The Jina Buddha Ratnasambhava
Central Tibet (by a Newar artist), circa 1100-1125 - LACMA Collections
Authored by A. S. Kline © Copyright 1999 All Rights Reserved.
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151.
Beauty -
fragile as a fan of silk
now discarded in the dawn.
152.
Poems
divisible by zero
all giving infinities.
153.
This pillow-book.
that lover
gives endlessly
to lover.
154.
The Buddha that stares
as stupidly as a fish -
the golden carp.
155.
What is
this world
words inhabit ?
156.
After the frost
the flowering cherry
slowly recovers colour
from the pale sky.
157.
In winter twilight -
these pale leaves
of the pieris
are not its
cream-of-spring.
158.
Wintersweet carries
its pale bells
next to the gold
of jasmine's fall.
159.
Blue irises -
and their deep green leaves
a sheaf of beautiful women.
160.
This night -
too ice cold
to drown the spirit.
161.
The amazing
sound of the waterfall
thundered into my body.
162.
Hold tight
to this earth
that changes
under your feet.
163.
One old giddy Buddha
on the mountain
drinking clouds.
164.
Fragile leaf
touches
fragile leaf
the white stream
presses flat.
165.
In the heart
of the storm
the wood
gives a green shout.
166.
Something in me
keeps counting the time -
the drummer.
167.
The demon Death
has a hundred white masks
and every one
is expressionless.
168.
Under the coverlet
talking intimately
two mandarin ducks.
169.
Behind closed eyelids
she is gracefully
making love
in a dream.
170.
Out of the pale gold sea
rise
blue irises
green blades.
171.
Night-window
opening
onto the white
embers
of poplars.
172.
Pale shoulders
give themselves
as a pledge -
love goes naked.
173.
The wistaria's
mauve rain
that keeps on
not falling.
174.
On the back
of the courtesan
the efforts
of a grand-master.
175.
Clearing the trees -
the pure thoughts
of Tohaku.
176.
How can I find you
in the immense darkness
at dawn ?
177.
Cedar -
the upraised head
of the great cobra
that will not strike.
178.
Infinite space reddens
then cools
silently
at the heart of the rose.
179.
With a flat board
scattering
the embers
like words
from a fan.
180.
Misunderstood -
the meaning
of the floating world.
181.
Your affection
has the colours
of water and moonlight-
the colours
of the mysterious angel.
182.
The mind aware -
the passing of its being
echoes
inside the bell.
183.
This paper
wrinkled
under one word -
absence.
184.
Not worth remembering
those days -
that lengthened
then shrunk to nothing.
185.
I will wait forever
for the ray of light
from behind the mountain.
186.
All those actions
without trace
others are fated
to repeat.
187.
In the cracked bowl -
humble tea,
plain rice.
188.
Paper is
more patient
than the heart.
189.
Patience of the heart
a sheathed blade
never drawn.
190.
Flame and light
softly interfuse
in the far depths
of this flower.
191.
Peony and Chysanthemum
the gentle giving-way
to a mysterious flame
of silver and gold.
192.
Cutting
the centuries
with the blade
of art.
193.
Her two hands
clasped round her knees
the child once more
gravely looks out.
194.
In the green garden
trying to conceive
the memory
of snow.
195.
The green bamboo
bows
to the spirit of snow.
196.
The fragrance is deepest
in this green garden
empty of gods.
197.
From the small smoke
of a meeting
the great fire
of this love.
198.
The drum stops
and suddenly reveals
the continuous silence
of Buddha.
199.
Your beauty
like one red maple leaf
on the screen of white and gold
hides
all the landscape.
200.
Only to give solace to the day
opening yourself to the night.
201.
The moon on a sea of light
waiting
to find
another floating island.
202.
Salt spray
in drops of light
trickles over and through
the beach-pine's branches.
203.
In the floating world -
the lightness
of our feet on the earth.
204.
Black juice of the pen
runs
in the dragon veins
of the poem.
205.
Reflected by black
the light of time
is golden.
206.
A rushlight
of gold
over evening snow
cancelled my pain.
207.
Pale steam
shrouds the window.
Over the snow
strange trees are walking.
208.
Love and Truth -
if I lose you
I lose myself
eyes-of-the-willow.
209.
Gold leaf.
The autumn willow
gently paints
the stream
in its arms.
210.
The plum-tree
does not criticise
the rose.
211.
On the flight
of stone steps
the helpless Buddhas
collecting leaves.
212.
Over the gold bridge-rail
I see
the terrible power
of spring.
213.
Green was never tender
as in your eyes.
214.
Which drop
of water
are you
in the immense
sea ?
215.
A child in the snow
surrounded
by a halo of gold
goes shaking
the heavy branches.
216.
The moisture
in my words
has wet
your listening eye.
217.
The deafening
silence
of the gods.
218.
This precious night
these deep feelings
the graceful nymph
brings as a gift
from her land
of rain and cloud.
219.
Sacrifice -
the smoke of pain
out of which
the grace of light.
220.
The small bird waits
as the tree-squirrel
eats upside-down
on the cherry-branch
221.
The pale swans float
at the far end
of the lake.
222.
We will conspire
to create
the dream you had lost belief in.
223.
Does the shadow
of the bird
reflect its lost companion ?
224.
Loose white feathers
drift over
the ruffled water.
225.
Mind trying to enter
the invisible space
inside the tree
is baffled.