Guest guest Posted March 20, 2009 Report Share Posted March 20, 2009 A seasonal poem from Ivan for the week end --- On Fri, 20/3/09, Poetry Chaikhana <ivan wrote: Poetry Chaikhana <ivan[Poetry Chaikhana] Ryokan - First days of spring -- the skyalanadamsjacobsDate: Friday, 20 March, 2009, 5:31 PM Here's your Daily Poem from the Poetry Chaikhana -- First days of spring -- the sky By Ryokan(1758 - 1831) English version by Stephen Mitchell First days of spring -- the skyis bright blue, the sun huge and warm.Everything's turning green.Carrying my monk's bowl, I walk to the villageto beg for my daily meal.The children spot me at the temple gateand happily crowd around,dragging to my arms till I stop.I put my bowl on a white rock,hang my bag on a branch.First we braid grasses and play tug-of-war,then we take turns singing and keeping a kick-ball in the air:I kick the ball and they sing, they kick and I sing.Time is forgotten, the hours fly.People passing by point at me and laugh:"Why are you acting like such a fool?"I nod my head and don't answer.I could say something, but why?Do you want to know what's in my heart?From the beginning of time: just this! just this! -- from The Enlightened Heart: An Anthology of Sacred Poetry, by Stephen Mitchell Amazon.com / Photo by laruenatclemson / ============ Thought for the Day: Each kind act and simple insight is a great victory. ============ Here's your Daily Music selection -- Ustad Ahmedjan Thirakwa Thirakwa Listen - Purchase More Music Selections Hi Alan -Something today in honor of the Spring equinox (for those of us in the northern hemisphere) and, in many cultures, the beginning of the new year A day with blue sky, warm sun, when "everything's turning green."This poem evokes the simple joy of a game played with children, a joy so immediate that it leads the awareness to that timeless, nondual state of the eternal present. It is that sense, felt particularly in the space of the heart, that time can be traced all the way to its beginning and that beginning is found right here.Have a wonderful Spring weekend! (I don't know about you, but I'm going to go outside and play!)Ivan Donations to the Poetry ChaikhanaI want to send out a sincere thank you to each one of you who contributed some of your hard-earned money in the last week:- Marguerite (CO), Ueli (Switzerland)And thank you to the many voluntary rs. Your contribution of a regular amount each month provides stable, dependable finances for the Poetry Chaikhana. New rs this week:- TracyI am so grateful for each and every contribution. Your support makes a big difference in maintaining the Poetry Chaikhana.---A few reasons to consider making a donation of your own... Ivan maintains the Poetry Chaikhana in his free time, usually in the mornings before work. Your donation allows him to trim back his work hours and dedicate more time to the Poetry Chaikhana and your emails. I know economic times are tight for many people. A small amount contributed each month is as helpful as a larger one-time donation. The daily poem sets a nice tone for the day. More than 300 sacred poets. Timelines, traditions, poetic themes. Ivan's musings and comments. 'Nuff said. Donating is easy: Just drop a check in the mail, or take a minute online with PayPal. Support the Poetry Chaikhana Donations to the Poetry Chaikhana in any amount are always welcome. Thank you! Click here You can also support the Poetry Chaikhana, as well as the authors and publishers of sacred poetry, by purchasing some of the recommended books through the links on this site. Thank you! Click here A small amount each month makes a big difference. Become a voluntary Subscriber for just $2/mo. Click here Help the Poetry Chaikhana reach more people. Become a Supporter for just $10/mo. Poetry Chaikhana HomeNew | Books | Music | Teahouse | About | ContactPoets by: Name| Tradition | Timeline Poetry by: Theme | CommentaryBlog | Forum | Video Channel www.Poetry-Chaikhana.com Poetry ChaikhanaP.O. Box 2320Boulder, CO 80306 Ivan M. Granger's original poetry, stories and commentaries are 2002 - 2008 by Ivan M. Granger.All other material is copyrighted by the respective authors, translators and/or publishers. ============ Plain Text: If you have any difficulty reading this HTML formatted email, please let me know and I can send you plain text emails instead. Cancelling: If you wish to stop receiving this Daily Poem email from the Poetry Chaikhana, simply reply to this email and change the Subject to "Cancel". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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