The Eternal Sky does not Inhibit the Flight of the White Clouds ~ Friday, October 17, 2025

"The eternal sky does not inhibit the flight of the white clouds." ~ Eihei Kōroku 15

Rational Zen: The Mind of Dōgen Zenji, p.51
Translated and edited by Thomas Cleary
Shambhala Publications, Inc., Boston, 1992

This morning, a fuzzy caterpillar
hobbled and bobbled across the pavement
enjoying the moment and full of awe

endless folds unravel Axis Polar
terminal, a Blue bike comes to a stop
empires rise and fall, but to tell it slant
repay the overdue balance, to owe
never recovers until all debts end
as the Blue bicyclist passes, I step
lightly, full of trepidation, my fear

subject to possibility, to math
kiss the world goodbye, squishy fuzzy guy
yet, oblivious to harm done, the myth

dies but the caterpillar remains gay
ordinary probability, far
external factors, those seen and unseen
sick with anger against entitlement

no one cares about the caterpillar
oblivious to harm done all too soon
tranquility in equanimity

inside the mind, empty of ideas, punt
no one catches on to Axis Polar
habits form, live and die as analogs
instruments of forgotten worlds, mighty
but careless with desires misunderstood
instruments of service and servitude
the caterpillar survives but instead

time unfolds in my mind with a fair trade
his base and the caterpillar trade legs
exactly, approximately five pairs

frustrated by a fierce lack of success
lingering in the hollow of my brain
intimidated and crushed by my peers
given all the foreigners and strangers
how to work with others and not kiss ass
the sycophantic contingent drinks brine

objects phenomenal appear beyond
focused determination, brine congers

take pickle juice to another level
high with fish mongers in my DNA
extinguish history, let time ravel

witness the chatter of my TMI
how to work well with others, please expand
incongruent lovers never once touch
tidal waves of emotion as a child
empty vessels filled with mango lassi

cashews and pistachios, out of reach
lessons to learn as an adult to scald
old wounds with boiling hot water, sissy
until blisters become calluses, stretch
delusions into dreams until minds meld
success is failure accepted, Messi

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