A Precious Unfurling Evening

Spring night in winter.

The door open to night air.

A family walks by.

A child laughs with glee.

Night-Sit.

I ponder an old phrase of Ikkyu's*:

"The buddhadharma is also the Way of Tea."

A bolt of lightning splits my brain open

and I pour down into my own heart.


*Ikkyu Sojun (1394-1481)

Originally appeared in The School of Soft-Attention