Canadian Monk

going down to 11
a Canadian June
only here
in these woods

throw the robes
up over the shoulder
bundled
for this late night forest walk

Flip Flopped

old boss?
no young
a youth promoted
up into the Abbott's rooms

a night he slips
into monks robes
the cloak of the novice
walks among us
his flip flops
give him away

Boss Ghost

boss slides down the path
walks the hall
haunts the office
wrapped in the old master's robes
us monks, we know

Maxim 3.0

remember and discern
the difference between
boss and master

Tonsure

tonsure stings
stinging with little rips of pain
with each drop of sweat
burning

today I'm glad
God tonsured me

5:30 in the Forest

pond fish are fed
coffee brewed
tend to the temple dogs and cats
morning duties under way

stray to the forest
watch as
raccoon, fox and coyote
return from their night duties
no rest for the trickster

Earthquake

rumble, deep and low
thunder, bombs, machines...?

the monk knows
slips off his sandals
grips the Earth

Awareness and Knowing

old koans float, fly
crash n'shatter on curbs
already filled with glass
old drunk, "bum" the call him
slumped and dizzy
deep in a rummy haze
yes wrecked, but he ponders:
awareness versus knowing

The Monk's Night

night
a time of poems
some lit and fired
by the smooth swirling sips
of Scotch

as dawn nears
coffee is the muse
all heart beat and pounding
grinding out intense
notebook gems

Tired Monk - the worker

tired monk
robes cinched tight
tool belt loaded
hammer swinging
nails exploding into wood

"ain't you tired, " says the novice

"I'm beat...I'm beat".

The Monk's Novices

the monk gathers his robes
as he gathers his students
his novices

today his theme is community

to the outsider:
bunch of guys watching the world cup

the tired monk knows better

Tired Monk Maxim 2.5 and 2.6

2.5

yes, page him - go get the monk
send a runner
the coffee will be brewed
right and true

2.6

but he still wants the office girl to help
ah - the joy of passing on wisdom
a true bell of clarity

Tired Monk Maxim 2.4

coffee empty
call the tired monk
have him paged
he makes it best

Tired Monk Maxim 2.3

be wary:

those trails of coffee cups
lead back to your desk
boss man may catch you in
a styrofoam trap

Tired Monk Maxim 2.2

when sneaking out early:

stroll through the office
- be seen upfront
as you sneak out the back

This is known as the "I just saw him effect".

Tired Monk Maxims 2.0 and 2.1

2.0

never place one's hands
within your robes
or pockets when the boss approaches

2.1

never reveal
that you embrace
eternal concept of "do nothing"

Tired Monk Maxim 1

when sleep shuffling
down the halls of work, and business
always carry papers

Awake

hazy, daisy, dreams
nodding off, or not,
in meditative slumber
coffee cups roll,
cigarette droops from my lips
robes aflame
awake

Tired Monk Summer Night

awake, awoken,
reacting, instantly "up"
fires stoked, tea on, kettle whistles
wife yells, from above:
"come to bed"

A Night Duty

teens totter
tumble into country ditches
laugh, shake and yell
violent echoes off bricks and siding
beer bottles clink and smash

quick peaks out windows
"damn teens"
cursed behind locked doors

the tired monk wanders out
sweeps up the glass
thanks the teens:
a chance to do one's duty

Tired Monk Summer 1.0

the monk moves down the halls
yellow sony walkman
secured on the hip
a yellow blossom of sound
providing tips, insights of wisdom
from guru Downie

The Tired Monk and the Red Stratocaster

plug in
boom, growl, hum
adjust the gain
tweak the treble
choose the channel
barre chords, rhythmic n'solid
old power chords
up the neck
robe swirls
in circles as the windmills spin
finger ache grows
back and arms sore
the Red Stratocaster put back
on the stand
a free hand takes the tea
from the top of the amp
unplug

The Tired Monk and the Storm

tired monk stayed up late
a vigil
thunderstorms after midnight
violent warning on the radio
he could hear the rumbles
off to the west at two
a few sips of tea
the trees sway
booms up in the ravine
porch beams creak
by three the trees splitting,
smashing
as the storm hits
the monk settles, unmoving
asleep on his rice mat