Thursday, July 16, 2009






The Elephants are Walking





How do Elephants do Kinhin?




Right foot, left foot, hum, ho, ho, ho.




The elephants are walking
in the morning slant sunrays
softly like rain through the dry savannah
walking to water
little ones at the feet of the mothers
the mothers' ears the tails the group
is the living animal
at the rear a lone male carefully keeps his distance

Today the setting sunrays slant in my eyes
through California savannah oak woodland
I see the trees smell the smells hear the birds
delight in the golden glow
wonder why I feel the elephants walking
see them only with inner eyes not outer.

Somewhere the elephants are walking and my soul wants
to walk out of here and protect the earth
Buddha nature we may each have,
we may all be equal in this, but something is very wrong.
My heart is breaking.
I don't know where to turn.
Joy and the song start sobbing.
Tonight I feel like the lone male, following after the family,
mothers, babes, rambunctious kids, restless teenagers.
There may be some Way,
walking together-apart.

Be present, show up.