For those who seek
Of much they speak
Of near and far
And thoughts that mar
The ebbs and flows
But no-one knows
Which way is right
Or what to fight
Our natures deep
Our questions keep
A tangled knot
Of what is not
That’s held up high
But brings a sigh
To all the tears
We’ve shed these years
May peace begin
With peace within
Nothing to find
Except [accept]
_____ your
_________ mind.
*
I write a lot of poems in the shower, generally to some kind of rhythm or rhyme — I don’t really know why the shower muse comes by…
Old men read the lesson in the setting sun. Beat the cymbal and sing in this life, or wail away the hours fearing death. From the I-Ching
Jambo Robyn 
“To all the tears
We’ve shed these years”
Well, this one certainly speaks to me as the tears just seem to flow and though I try to otherwise engage my mind, what brings me to tears, still brings me to tears.
Thank you Robyn and no matter where the inspiration hits, we love that you share it with us!
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You’re welcome, Shelby! I reckon don’t bother trying to otherwise engage your mind. Your true nature is so much more vast and wise than the part that says – don’t cry. You are the Earth Mother, sometimes I think you weep for those who are too exhausted to do so themselves.
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Oh Robyn! I wish that you were here or I was there! Believe it or not, I am actually crying even more over your comment. Thank you Robyn! Thank you! I sincerely believe that you ‘get me’ more than anyone else ever has and probably ever will!
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I do feel like I get you and that you “get me”. It’s a gift.
Ooh, I just got deja vu !
Anyway, this is what I was listening to in the wee hours of this morning hence the topic of the shower song… Not only is he (Alan Watts) speaking all kinds of truth, it’s a thoroughly entertaining talk – lots of LOL moments. If you can find the time, even if you’ve heard it before, it’s a great refreshing of the spirit. http://youtu.be/uppybCgGCqc
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Very cool! It took me a long time to realize that claiming inner peace is a vital part of resistence, and that it belongs to us now, even as we struggle. I even began to achieve it! I didn’t keep it up when was I was Knocked Down, but at least I know it’s possible.
Thanks for reminding me.
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It’s my pleasure, Claire. I forgot this with alarming regularity… so it’s my reminder too.
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This is such a beautiful and inspired poem. I read it several times and it’s so profound in meaning. It’s all true. Isn’t great that you can’t choose how the words come to you? I find that it’s when I’m not thinking of them that they pour out. They’re all jumbled up like a soup of words and then all I have to do is tease them until they make sense. I love your process. However, when I’m in the shower, I’m usually distracted because I can’t decide between honey bath gel or that bubblegum bar. Anyway, I choose both, every time.
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You’re making me laugh again. Bubblegum bar! You would never find anything like that in my bathroom, I’d be distracted by that myself.
What’s mildly irritating about this process is that I have to memorise what’s going round in my head whilst attending to all the other things that are supposed to happen in the shower. Sometimes it doesn’t work out smoothly.
Thank you for the lovely compliment.
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Attending to other things? You mean inspecting your toned, perfectly sculpted ballerina body? You’re right. It’s hard to focus. I’m sure that portion of the shower dance works out smoothly. Good luck with the process and have a great evening.
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Ha! No.
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Ha! Looking forward to more shower poetry.
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Wonderful. It makes perfect sense to me. 🙂
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Gives a whole new meaning to getting clean. 🙂
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Aye 🙂
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Hey, awesome to see you comment about Alan Watts. I am a keen “student” of his. I have listened to the Out Of Your Mind lectures a bajillion times.
So then, the zen
In your words.
Capital!
But still trying to process the ability to keep the paper dry during the writing process 😉
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The paper doesn’t stay dry 😉 Nah, I’ve got a pretty good memory, sometimes.
My experience with Alan Watts is a bit haphazard, he just keeps appearing at the exact spot I’m looking. The first book of his that I read, way back when I was 17, Tao: The Watercourse Way. I had no idea who he was, but it was a great read, it completely changed the way I viewed things… I think I might go check out those Out of Your Mind lectures, sounds interesting.
It’s a great feeling to know that you understand from what perspective I wrote this poem.
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Definitely check out of your mind.
And indeed, a great feeling.
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hehe
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This old man, then, must be reading the lesson in the setting sun, while beating his cymbal and singing, since the thought of death has yet to consume him. And he hopes it never will!
But he is somewhat convicted by your poem. I know, because he told me so;-) He feels that his cymbal and singing has to come before his reading the lesson… at least for now.
But he still loves your poem!
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The lesson in the setting sun is the cyclical nature of life, whatever that means to you. Some people despair at the inevitability of these cycles, some celebrate the very fact that they are alive. The majority spend their moments somewhere between the two poles. I took a line from the I Ching because it is frequently used as a divination tool. But if you seek guidance and sureties from it and it answers your question with a line about setting suns and cymbals… what does one make of that?
If a man has many questions he will eventually and inevitably befuddle himself. If that moment arrives, take a shower and sing this song. Everything I write is a message to myself. I jumped in the shower with a racing mind and exited the shower with a poem about the function of inner peace.
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I just want to make a quick apology here, Sojourner. My above response is very much like talking to myself…not very respectful at all! I am very glad that you enjoyed the poem and mostly that you didn’t have to agree to enjoy it. So thank you very much for your comment. It is much appreciated.
Robyn
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You have no need to apologize! I find myself struggling with responses to comments, too. You don’t worry about it.
I was not offended, nor did I feel slighted.
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Thank you 🙂
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