28.4.07

pieces of moon...








Xu Ling, artist


(Chinese painting mounted on silk brocade)










*


For the moon does not intend to cast its reflection, and the water does not receive its image on purpose.

            – Alan Watts, The Way of Zen


~


Impermanence


To what shall
I liken the world?
Moonlight, reflected
In dewdrops,
Shaken from a crane's bill.

           – Dōgen

6 comments:

Nick said...

Stunning painting - thanks for posting it.

sam of the ten thousand things said...

It is a wonderful painting - a contemporary artist. I appreciate your read and comment, Nick.

Anonymous said...

Wonderful painting, Sam. You always post gems in words or images or both as in this case.

sam of the ten thousand things said...

Thanks for the read and kind words, Paula.

C. E. Chaffin said...

I like your recent foray into Zen poetry, but was initially confused because your blog display went from old at the top down to new at the bottom. And have you started another blog? Have to look in on that. Love Ryokan. Doubt he would be published in America today. Here's a poem from Ploughshares, for instance:


Things To Do in California

by Tom Clark


Play beach volleyball
Make surfboards & live at Dana Pt.
Pick up chicks galore
Shine it on & get a good suntan
Catch cancer from the chemicals in the water
Die a grotesque death
Have a movie made about your life
Make sure you look thin in every scene

sam of the ten thousand things said...

I think Ryokan would be published, but his work would, no doubt, read like Gary Snyder or Jane Hirshfield. I like the Clark piece. Thanks for adding it here, CE.