You-tube Poetry
Welcome to this new section of my web site. I have started a You Tube Channel with the specific idea to read and perform some of my poems and perhaps provide a context to help understand them more clearly.
My poetry explores the mystery and nature of our mind together with the Universe, so my channel is essentially a "Buddhist Poetry" channel. I do find poetry to be a remarkable medium to fine tune thinking and knowing about beauty and truth. My poetry is informed from a Buddhist perspective, but can be read informally. Most importantly it can also be used a an aid to Meditation Practice. I have been a dedicated Buddhist Meditation practitioner for close to 40 years and my poetry is essentially comes out of that practice.
This is an Index of performed poetry below:
The Slaughterman.
This is a poem about our need to recognise animal consciousness. It is a call for us to notice the appalling way that we treat animals; killing them to eat when we do not need to --- the way use them without regard for the fear and anguish we create in them, disrespecting their consciousness only to consume their fear. It is a call for humanity to help animals and respect their consciousness in order to learn more about our own. Ultimately it is a poem that calls on humanity to be greater.
This poem is a "mea culpa" for my own inability to speak up over the years. I could have written this poem years ago but did not have the courage to "rock the boat". Animals and Humanity need this greater context of respect in order for us to understand what this life is and how it interacts with the Universe.
The transcript can be read here.
My Life
After reading Richard Flannigans book, "The Narrow Road to the Deep North", and discovering how the Japanese like to leave a poem setting out what they have learnt from life just before they die, I thought I would follow suit. I am expecting this to be an interim poem, although one can never know when death will be there for you. I hope it makes as much sense to you as it does for me.
Intimacy
This poem follows on from the talk and blogs I have been doing on Fungible Consciousness. They had added inspiration from a talk I had heard by a Zen Roshi who talked about sitting on his cushion and realising the entire Universe was sitting with him! My computer man also helped with a discussion we were having on the interface between the Quantum and Relativity. I like this poem. I think its descriptions are very truthful.
Calibration of life
I'm very happy to share this poem with you. For me it points to the essence and truth of our very existence in this universe. It is a poem that has been gleaned from the wisdom of my 40 years of a Buddhist meditator. I trust that the poem will help you find truth of what has been said for yourself.
Belief, Proselytising, Fighting for Truth! then
Knowing the Present
This poem was written following a visit to my door by a couple from the Seventh Day Adventist Church. Their visit inspired this poem. It has a sub title of "Belief, Proselytising, Fighting for Truth!" and a title of "KNOWING THE PRESENT" As ever this is a poem that explores the beauty, stillness and truth of the Present Moment. It is part of my series --- "Poems from the Present"
All of these poems explore the world from a Buddhist perspective. They are for generally reading and realisation, but work best when used as an aid for meditation practice.
Perception
Poems from the Present, A Buddhist perspective examining the present moment and the nature of the universe and our being.
