Wednesday, May 1, 2019

WHAT? ~




KO UN



BABY



Before you were born

before your dad

before your mom



your burbling

                           was there.






WALKING DOWN A MOUNTAIN



Looking back

      Hey!

There's no trace of the mountain I've just come down

Where am I?

The autumn breeze tosses and turns lifeless

       like a cast-off snakeskin.






BROAD DAYLIGHT



A dry turd

with no flies around.



Is this paradise?  No.







A FRIEND



Hey! With the clay you dug out

I fashioned a buddha.

It rained.

The buddha turned back into clay.



Pointless as the clear skies after rain.







THE WASH



The wash flaps, a bodhisattva not

knowing it's a bodhisattva.







ONE DAY



Lightning over the hill in front

thunder over the hill behind

between the two

       one dumb pebble.







IN DAYLIGHT



After the rain, the waters rose everywhere.

Twelve no thirfourfifsixteen swallows

are soaring high.







WIND



A wind stirs.

Ah, this world, that world.







HOUSE



Grow high. The devil can't find you.

Grow deep. Buddha can't find you

Build a house and live there.

Gourd creepers will climb over it,

their flowers dazzling at midnight.







LATE ONE NIGHT



Late one night a fox changes its shape

and slips into your room as a pretty girl:

       what will you do?



Don't be stupid. I'll grab her.



Ha, ha, you fox's husband, you.

A fox is more fun than Buddha, of course.



         You bet.







THE POLE STAR



If you vanished

the north would vanish

the south would vanish

east and west would vanish.

        No.







PARTING



Farewell.

Fare well.









________________________

Ko Un
108 Zen Poms
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