Tag: karma

Poetry

A Caterwaul

Can I tempt?
Can I tease?
Can I bring you to your knees?

I never knew I had a power
then I heard the beggar plead

He needed more, he begged to give
He needed more of me to live

I did laugh
I did cry
and to his horror, I denied

I never knew I had a power
then I saw the beggar die

I needed more, I begged to give
I needed more of them to live

I did tempt
I did tease
and I tried my best to please

I disbelieved I had a power
And so delusion ruled with ease

I faded in, I faded out,
I turned to faith from foolish doubt

I did laugh
I did cry
in compassion I now abide

I believe I have a power
and with love I purify

Tags abstract poem, attachment, compassion, creative writing, delusion, karma, love, nonsense poetry, poem, Poetry, power, siren, tease, virtue

Buddhism Poetry

Fragrant White Water Lily

Post author By K. Samways
Post date April 19, 2023
No Comments on Fragrant White Water Lily

Once you told me
if I was a flower I would be
a fragrant white water lily

I couldn’t help but feel pride
that such a thought did arise
in your less-than-poetic mind
about me

Now I see it was a sign

Like a beautiful lotus growing from the mud
I become strong, resilient and kind
Amidst cruel & non-virtuous crud

How you teach non-attachment
didn’t feel right but now I see how it’s wise

Maybe one day I’ll realize you were simply
my Spiritual Guide

Tags Buddhism, change, karma, love, poem, Poetry, prophecy, renunciation, spiritual guide, swamp, symbolism, virtue, water lily

Poetry

Edge of Tomorrow

I know you

Do you know me?

I cannot help but note the tragedy

of new lives lived with no memory

of old lives discarded though they’re

the very foundation of the new!

— no memory

you have of me

or I’d have seen

some bloody action by now —

or maybe you’re tied down —

she’s got you on the tracks

while I’m off the beaten path

and I’m calling out loud

— but you can’t hear me

you don’t know me

you can’t see me

you’ve forgotten —

I had too

but now I’ve seen —

no. I felt the tug,

a heart string plucked

and yearned anew

for only you

as if I’d done this many times before

a feeling I could not ignore

familiar and odd — uncanny

when you looked at me

with no knowledge of

the touches I gave long ago

time erases and time has passed

ages since we danced in the afterglow

— now no memory,

though time did slow

when you looked at me

and my heart beat so rhymically

as if we’d done this all before

— and yet, no more

as you walked away

I longed to say

what I’m looking for —

Enlightenment, and is it at your door?

I wish to be rich and it’s such

delusions that keep me poor

tempt me tease me all you want

— or do not —

I still remember you

do let me know if I can stir

a memory —

do you know me?

Tags attachment, creative writing, karma, love, past lives, poem, Poetry, reincarnation, wisdom

Poetry

Delayed Gratification

I have promised patience
in exchange for a kingdom of happiness

I have promised patience
in exchange for an appearance of love

I have promised patience
in exchange for unattached enjoyments

I have promised patience
for you, so we can complete the path together

So I wait, like a princess in her tower
with patience, my Buddha nature I empower

I promised patience, and I wait for you
with faith unwavering, my heart is true.

Tags attachment, buddha nature, Buddhism, creative writing, enlightenment, karma, longing, love, patience, poem, Poetry, training the mind, virtue, virtuous minds

Poetry

Lost

Post author By K. Samways
Post date April 3, 2023
No Comments on Lost

I lost your number
a long time ago
— right away

after the lock broke
it was clear
I couldn’t be trusted

how things have changed
and mistaken memory
makes you
bigger, then smaller than
you were, are

who are you now?
I wonder

I lost my privilege
to know

the you
grown in moments
now passed

Tags attachment, creative writing, karma, loss, memory, poem, Poetry, reality, relationships, time

Buddhism Poetry

Constant Craving

I want to be
someone who loves you

with no demands
with no expectations
with no history of delusion

I want to be
the pure love always within you

yet still,
I cherish only myself

I want you to see me
I want you to love me

because of this
damned self-grasping

And then I laugh remembering
we is just a dream

Tags attachment, Buddhism, creative writing, delusion, desirous attachment, enlightenment, ignorance, karma, love, poem, Poetry, pure love, self-grasping, wish

Buddhism Love Letters Thirsty Thursday

You have given me much I will cherish for years to come. Nothing I can keep in a box under my bed. No pictures to burn. Gifts far greater – ones I will carry with me life to life, like my pure love for you.

Patience.

Before I met you, it was rare to walk slowly through nature, and never would I think to name its parts. Waiting was a great torment. Sitting silent was near impossible. Then, you mixed your patient mind with mine.

Faith.

You challenged my beliefs constantly. A torture at the time, but such a gift to progress. This obstacle appeared to destroy our relationship, but served as a test I passed time and again. You helped me try each teaching until I had conviction in each one. I valued them more than temporary relationships. I would keep them at the cost of my life.

Love.

Though we did not know unconditional, we strove. I accepted love from you. And I found my happiness only in giving. For we can never take love for ourself from another. That will never cease suffering. Loving you has helped cease suffering. Loving all beings (even spiders) creates my happiness.

It is only in reflection that I can begin to understand that I was absolutely blessed by the Buddhas that my path be made meaningful and my travel swift. Thank you to Buddha, who appears as friend, family and foe to guide us from our misery.

If we can remember to apply the primary practice.

Thank you.

Love,
your Ex

Tags Buddhism, buddhist practitioner, creative writing, faith, grateful, gratitude, karma, life lessons, love, love letter, patience, relationships, thank you letter, Thirsty Thursday

Buddhism Love Letters Poetry Thirsty Thursday

Remember me? | Letter 9

Dear Karmic Potential,

Are we meeting again?
Have we met before?
Your appearance undoes me
but when I search
I cannot find me at all
nor can I find you

It’s like you’re in a different city
— certainly not here
and yet your closeness lingers
as though you are still near

Suddenly I am all the days
you choose to ignore
and I am the grasping
and I am the craving once more

Still, I cannot but hope you
also feel my presence
maybe yearn for my embrace
begging time be brief ‘tween now
and next you’ll see my face

I pray it be this lifetime
I pray delusion-free
Yet if I have to wait another ten
rounds to serve with you, I will

Love wishes only happiness
so that is all I wish for you

I know it’s all wrong
if ever samsara feels right
but this I am certain of, also,
we can, we will escape

Why not tonight?

Love,
A past and future partner in (escaping) crime

Tags Buddhism, buddhist, escape suffering, future lives, karma, karmic partner, love letter, past lives, relationships, renunciation, samsara, Thirsty Thursday

Buddhism Philosophy Poetry

Reality

Some things come
Some things go
At least that’s what
We think we know

Yet no thing can rise
And no thing can fall
For there is no out there
Mind is all

Tags Buddhism, buddhist, coming, dream, emptiness, going, inherent existence, karma, mind, mistaken appearance, Philosophy, poem, poet, Poetry, reality, true reality

Buddhism Love Letters Thirsty Thursday

Happy | Letter 8

To the Musician,

How can I count the ways
I have experienced joy
with you
already

How can I tell thee
the way you make me feel
when I know I have
created the causes

How can I share wisdom
when I am drowning
in samsara’s sea?

Still, you have helped
dispel the ignorance
of a thousand aeons,
a dreadful darkness,
with a single torch

How can I tell you
how happy I feel
how content I am
in the present moment
here and now
with you
while also planning
our escape

Because to
escape suffering
permanently
is my only wish
especially
with you

happy
beside me

Love, the Muse

Tags buddhist escape, cause & effect, cause creator, fate, karma, love, love letter, magic, Muse, musician, realizations, renunciation, samsara, Thirsty Thursday