My Litany

                 You are the wave and the sea,
                 the free kite and the breeze.
                 You are the lotus on the snow mountain
                 and the new branches of the tree.
                 You are the round compass of the ship
                 and the bright lightning suddenly at night.


                 

                 the beautiful lotus on the snow mountain

                 However, you are not the leaf in the wind,
                 the fish on the board,
                 or the noise of thunder.
                 And you are certainly not the calm harbor.
                 There is just no way you are the calm harbor.

                 It is possible that you are the oasis in the dessert,
                 maybe even the dim candle in the darkness,
                 but you are not even close
                 to being the seed in the corner of a stone.



                 

                  Life in the corner of the stone

                 And a quick look in the mirror will show
                 that you are neither the cat under the table,
                 nor the imposing lion on the prairie.

                 It might interest you to know,
                 speaking of the plentiful imagery of the world,
                 that I am the fresh air in the morning.

                 I also happen to be the singing bird,
                 the dancing bee flying over a flower,
                 and the staff book on the piano.

                 

               a beautiful piano piece

                 I am also the sunshine in the forest,
                 and the sunny boy's blue jeans.
                 But don't worry, I am not the wave and the sea.
                 You are still the wave and the sea.
                 You will always be the wave and the sea,
                 not to mention the free kite and —somehow—the breeze.