You're Not The Buddha by Roy Bentley

You're Not The Buddha
By Roy Bentley


Once again an hour is bigger than its souvenir brightness.

In a yard beside oleanders, around water's machined edge,

grasses transmit the wing-motions of birds crossing a lake.

Somewhere in the lake's surface—a sequencing of waves

and the narrative of wave-displays an evening reorders—

somewhere in the shadowfall into brilliance lies a question:

Why is it you think you know so much about everything?

In a kitchen you decide something, looking out a window,

but you're not the Buddha. You're not close to being wise.

A house is a trap your life sets for you, day in and day out.

You know the score—you never pull even. Nothing is yours.

Light and wind aren't about ownership; they say as much—

one lectures about Illumination and traveling at great speed,

the other has authored A Treatise on the Nature of Change.

If there is a soul, it's on loan. Whether you want clemency

for crimes you committed but were never charged with, or

you want to speak truth to power but without consequence,

in houses across the dark world there are nations like you.

You're not the Buddha. The Buddha would be smiling and

wouldn't move till dusk had stopped whispering its prayer.

Copyright 2008 Roy Bentley

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• performing
• arts
• poetry
• Buddha
• knowledge
• enlightenment
• choices

[NewOrleansWoman]

very nice !

[tjkoz22]

thanks, Shelley !

Roy is an excellent poet and a very dear friend of mine. Be sure to check out more of his work.

Tom

[FleurDeSel888]

MAGNIFIQUE **********

[tjkoz22]

Thank you very much, Jerschelle , and Merry Christmas !

Tom

[viudanegraaa2]

Fantastic !! Compliments for you video,Hugs ,Sofia.

[tjkoz22]

Thanks, Sofia. I've known Roy for many, many years. He is a great writer, I'm sure you agree, and it's such a pleasure to recite his work.

Tom

[IceHouseOwner]

Once again an hour is bigger than its souvenir brightness. In a yard beside oleanders.........

Sigh.

[twohawksfucking]

I want to say how well you read this, Tom--I was listening to the poem, your reading of it, before I send it out. You sold the thing to where it will be winging its way toward some literary-mag editor's desk!

Thanks, brother.

Roy

[twohawksfucking]

I'm loving this all over again, Tom.

And I'm absolutely busting a gut to hear the new song... Help me!

I'm back in Florida and it's getting warmer every day. Supposed to be 80 on Christmas Day!

Roy

[daveebella09]

a house is not a home.

a home is a PARADISE.........

[daveebella09]

i can sense pessimism here!?