Old Risu's Toe Nails
401 -450


401. Blue green firs
In the reddish twilight
Evoke a sigh.

402. Cup of peach wine,
Sunset breeze stirring, ah!
A simple pleasure.

403. A free moment
Creeps upon me. Dream?
Into emptiness.

404. To bamboo shadows.
Old Risu sits down.
Crickets applaud.

405. Zen butterflies
In all seasons come now.
Strange blossoms.

406. Only one gate
After so many others.
Blindness falls away.

407. No good monkey
Winter dreaming in sleep
Eating an old flea.

408. By the open door
You sit watching the stars.
Such beauty.
(for Nita 5/21/01)

409. Rain swept face smiling
I call to the red robins
Hidden in the trees.

410. No words for you
As you enter the temple,
Sneezing, robe flapping.

411. In my own old age
No music in my voice
Just river gravel.

412. Rivers and mountains.
Bamboo mind dreaming secrets.
Undisturbed silence.

413. Following the Path
I come to ink and brush
Despite myself.

414. Sunlit gray green lake
Filled with lotus blossoms
And ducks laughter.

415. Deepest heart of night.
This old priest snores loudly
Silencing crickets.

416. Butterfly moonbeams
And in wind blown sleep
I feel wings.

417. Much too hot today
To sit peacefully inside
Incense covered.

418. My home is here
In old black robes sitting.
Cherry blossoms song.

419. No longer sea swept
Hermit crab's house comes
To my backyard.

420. I. cloud watching
See sunset at noon, raindrops
Dripping off eyebrows.

421. Trifles all fled
Under moonlit bamboo.
Teacup steaming so.

422. Nothing to nothing
The old wall crumbles away.
Eating late breakfast.

423. Windblown blossom
Riding the gale winds.
Smells of peace.

424. Similar thoughts
We share at twilight
Growing together.
(for Nita 5/22/01)

425. Deep Autumn thoughts
Midst silvered bamboo
Midway to morning.

426. Still going away
Blossoms, clouds, and mayflies;
Leaving one Risu.

427. Falling, my thoughts,
Shattering all sanity.
Bent over moon.

428. No more worries now
Mind flying to the moon.
The screen's broken.

429. Mist upon the
Broken silence of Spring
Birds in alders.

430. Like a butterfly
You sleep undisturbed.
Beauty unborn.

431. Hokawa and I
Whispering with words
Unspoken yet heard.

432. Quiet joys abound
Behind misted cloud mountains
When the moonshines.

433. Night long fallen.
Water dripping from the eaves
Underscores my snores.

434. Idle these hands
When the sun rose over there
Behind the bushes.

435. Wave on wave
White sands accepting.
Rhythm of miles.

436. Rain and wild plums
I gather them together
For bath and tea.

437. Coming together
At the oddest of times
In marriage vows.
(for Nita 5/23/01)

438. Escaping the heat.
I would lie in the wind
If there were any.

439. Not free of words,
I can only be myself,
With you beside me,
Step by step.
(for Nita 5/23/01)

440. Hard to sleep.
Days heat still here.
Sweat drops
Beat on the pillow.

441. What great silliness
Spawns priests nowdays?
Buddha's eyebrows.

442. Mind still strong
I can make mistakes well.
Crumbling boulders.

443. Still together,
We banish old age, fagh!
Feeding ten cats.

444. This old priest
Looks at Autumn
Like it was Spring
And wanders off.

445. A one frog pond,
Slumbering in the twilight;
Two crazy frogs.

446. Autumn's young
And so am I
Despite my years.
Bamboo mind
Wrapped in black rags.

447. Quietly I write
Beside the open gate.
Morning dew-scented
While the cats quibble.

448. So long ago now
That man came here
Leaving me behind.
(for Rev. Dokyo Chozen)

449. Unfolding with the days.
Life goes on regardless
Of my feeble protests
And I thrive.

450. Bypassing death
I can go about life
Without thinking
Or watching shadows.

On a day of 101 in the shade we hope your day is cooler and
your thoughts unclouded.
T.S. and Nita
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