Books by the old Leather Chair

  • Snow In The Summer
  • My Bible
  • The Power of Silence
  • What Comes Next and to Like It
  • Encore Provence
  • A Year in Provence

Thursday, November 6, 2014

I Never Noticed

Yes, so close
and I never noticed
this beautiful work of art
right outside my window.
The rain has ended
and so delightful it was
just a slow rain all day yesterday.
Now sun and wind and
as the leaves are blown off of the trees
some is revealed
that stayed hidden.

This nest so close to where I often sit
and I wonder why birds were not noticed
at this nest.

Yesterday once again picked up my Chinese poetry books.
It took me over 70 years to discover
these simple and peaceful poems that have been translated.

At the present time I have about 5 and was introduced to them
by finding about a dozen among my son's books.
I have enjoyed going through his many books stored in this cottage
as he lives part time in Thailand.

These poems were translated by an award winning translator
Red Pine

Poems from The Mountain Poems of Stonehouse
written by Stonehouse who was born in 1272.
He was a fourteenth century monk who became a hermit
at the age of 40.

"the body lasts about as long as a bubble
may as well let it go
things don't often go as we wish
who can step back doesn't worry
we blossom and fade like flowers
we gather and part like clouds.
I stopped thinking about the world a long time ago
relaxing all day in a teetering hut"

"I saw through my worldly concerns of the past
I enjoy old age and enjoy being free
rope shoes a bamboo staff the last month of spring
paper curtains, bamboo blossoms and daybreak dreams
freedom from worry and care is my practice
last night what the pine wind roared
that was a language the deaf can't hear"

Just a sample of these peaceful poems...

Time to turn the computer off
day is flying by
and up since 4:30


6 comments:

Rebecca said...

Oooooooo. I especially like/identify with the second one!

FlowerLady Lorraine said...

These poems are lovely. They make you stop and ponder the words.

One Woman's Journey - a journal being written from Woodhaven - her cottage in the woods. said...

I have started reading something peaceful about an hour before I go to bed.
Rebecca and Lorraine, :)

Tabor said...

What silver touchstones you have to read. You need to post the titles and translators and perhaps where we can get them. What a surprise. You may remove the nest and perhaps they might build a new one in the spring! Looks a little like a cardinal nest I saw in my maple tree.

thewiildmagnola said...

lovely sharing. thank you.

One Woman's Journey - a journal being written from Woodhaven - her cottage in the woods. said...

Tabor, Sandy :)