Zen Garden

FIVE ROCKS THERE ARE
THOUGH IT SEES LIKE MORE
GRAVEL AND SOME MOSS

THE ROCKS ARE SMALL
THE GRAVEL RAKED
THE MOSS GROWS WHERE IT WILL

AT FIRST
I TRIED TO FIND THE MEANING OF THE STONES
WERE THEY SHIPS OR MOUNTAINS
PERHAPS A TIGER AND ITS PREY

I TRIED TO MEASURE IN MY MIND
THE SPACING OF THE ROCKS
TO MAKE THEM FIT A SCIENCE
SO MUCH HERE
SO MUCH THERE
BUT IT WOULDN'T WORK
IT WOULDN'T FIT

I STARTED TO GET UP
TO GO AWAY
TO LEAVE THE GARDEN
THAT WOULDN'T FIT MY SCIENCE

BUT HESITATED
DISTURBED BY FAILURE
AND SAT BACK DOWN

BE QUIET AND UNKNOWING
SEEMED TO SAY THE WIND
BE QUIET AND STILL
LIKE A POOL OF WATER
BE STILL AND DEEP
GIVE BACK TO THE SKY ITS BRIGHTNESS
IN THE DEPTHS OF YOUR BEING
BE STILL
THE WIND'S RIPPLES CANNOT DISTURB YOU
BE STILL
BE STILL
AND QUIET
AND KNOWING

FRANK A VOLLMER