Continued

Dear Editor:

The Buddha said, "there are ten thousand moments in a blink of an eye."

The Sufi mind tells us "Do not try to push the river." I use this statement with those far too impatient....the universe unfolds exactly as it should.

Hello my new found friends. May white light shine in your new Linolium...ah, millenium [hehehe]. Cheers.

—Yogi Blair
   Victoria, BC

Dear Editor:

Early in the morning, I peacefully float through your website before I begin my day....

—Donna Hartman
   New Jersey

The following correspondence is between Nat Shazi and Paul Dolinsky, two of our authors.

Hi. You, Paul, have got the Buddist mind! I enjoy your poetry much. Especially, "Bargains in the Basement." Have you ever enjoyed the story-teller, comedian from his TV specials, "News From Lake Woe Be Gone"?

A comment: From my insight, in your descriptive poetry, I find that I'm addressing one particular stanza within them. Which catches me and is where you're at. But when you write a short stanza only! The substance is empty; without your lengthy other stanza's to support them. I'm sending this poem by Lew Welch to make a break-through. The "Point" is to catch the Psych.

Lew Welch, "Ring of Bone," Small Book To Break The Brain (or How to Give Yourself Away) (being all the Leo Poems and the sermons and commentaries by the Red Monk, up to Now).

All characters in this book are fictitious. The author invented them for the sole purpose of exterminating himself, knowing that suicide is illegal, in every sense and state, but knowing, also, that what we think of as 'Self' is our chief enemy, and must be destroyed. This creature, which actually does not exist, is very dangerous. It cannot be killed by a gun, by knife, by bridge-leap, or by meekly turning itself over to whatever, outside enemy. Poor Hart Crane! Mayakovsky! 6,000,000 Jews! Me!

Missing the whole point by less than a single step (to one side or the other).

"A Character Lesson"
"A Cat In The Hat"

ASAT

Paul Dolinksy replies:

Hi Nat,

Thanks for taking the time and trouble to communicate your thoughts about some of my poems on Dave's Featured Poet page, and for adding your own comments.

Yes, I’ve listened to Garrison Keeler on his News From Lake Woe Be Gone show on public radio, which has been on for at least 15 years now. It’s a 2-hour show, and I think the best part is the story that is told during the last half hour, for anyone who is thinking of listening to it. And you mention Lew Welch’s Ring of Bone." I’m not familiar with that. I see it listed at Amazon.com, but unfortunately, with no comments by readers, though I can search on the internet for info. And you mention Hart Crane -- I like the power of his language, but I find the poems hard to follow, maybe a bit like Wallace Stevens. I will keep in my mind your comment about keeping my stanzas tight. I like my "Bargains in the Basement" poem -- not seeing oneself as something to scimp on, and so not develop fully.

Concerning your quote from Welch, yes, there is no abiding self in Buddhism and Taoism, and yet there is suffering by living beings. I remember seeing pictures of the Buddhist monks who immolated themselves in Vietnam to bring attention to the suffering of the people, and of the land. They exterminated their selves -- and moved back to a non abiding state. And there is suffering now -- in the Balkans. The different ethnic groups seem to be consumed by tribal hatred which goes back hundreds of years. It wreaks a terrible karma. Elise, my wife, and I host a meditation group on Wed. nights starting at 7:00 pm EST for 20 minutes to meditate on peace, and to visualize the Spirit of Peace bringing that energy into that hatred, and pacifying it -- regardless of who did what to whom, and despite all the past hurts, and so break this particular karmic chain of suffering. If any readers here wish to unify with us in spirit, during that time, it would be good. From the Alice Bailey metaphysical tradition, you might visualize peace as an indigo blue triangle over the Balkans, and visualize that triangle linked with similar ones all over the world, forming a kind of grid. Or you may visualize peace in any way you choose, sending it from a deeper place within you.

I’ve been looking for publishing houses that publish books on Buddhist and Taoist poetry, and for individual Buddhist and Taoist poets. Haven’t found too much but I’ll share what I have found -- maybe we can get a thread going on this, if some of Dave’s other readers and writers wish to join.

Wisdom Books (http://www.wisdompubs.org) accepts online submissions of Buddhist material in general, and publishes some Buddhist poetry books, as well. Dharma Press and Parallax Press (not sure of the spelling) also publish East-West books, and some poetry too, I think. I don’t have their URL’s handy, but I think that Parallax is in the Dharma Ring in Webrings. Some Buddhist poets who come to mind are Gary Snyder, Deena Metzger, Philip Whalen, and, I suppose Allen Ginsberg, and others going back to the Beat generation.

So, thanks for your comments, Nat. Hope that you and Dave, our host, and our fellow life-travellers found this letter helpful.

—Paul Dolinsky (pdolan@taconic.net)
   Hillsdale NY