CANTO 75 sitting still, mind racing

 

Sitting still, mind racing

let it do laps for a while

start from its finish line

a battery of monkeys typing

a battery of humans swinging in trees

start the mantra bodhicitta

the lollipop of an ordinary flavor

breath slows getting deeper

ordinaryness leaves its own flavor

tongue lifts to roof of mouth

lips part just a little

baloney sandwiches in the balcony

coney island of the mind

mind still fingers stir

cupped hands lift and spread

moving slowly receive the air

the ordin-airy air

sandwiches!

what sand did you have in mind

I’ll give you more word play

in a similar vain

cony-catching

Ferlinghetti’s Burg Address!

lungs fill back arches

arms spread and stretch

holding more and more

body light

as if to rise

to open

to embrace

to yield

to take

to give

to forgive

to be one to be all to be none

in the stillness eyes open

the old is suddenly new

ordinary

battery of monkeys typing

battery of humans swinging in trees

the old is suddenly new

making coffee

thinking softly

making coffee

thinking softly

softly softly softly softly softly