From the heart

Very good .


buddhakitty

Real life makes art babe

Like

There is beauty lying all around

Oh well...;)

I can do everything but the rusty old car...

I can't stand cars in general...

Don't own one , have not owned one since 1975...

I would tell the neighbor to move it where I could not see it ,

or I would make sure they were buried in it...

( now *that* I could see as beautiful )

I am not of the Eastern Zen persuasion , nor do I have any desire to be...

I have "actively encouraged" more than a few room mates , or neighbors

to clean up their messes , at the threat of their detriment if they did not...

Lines on a woman's face , especially grandmothers , no problem...

( can be extremely beautiful )

Yet , if there are wrinkles on the couch...there is a major problem...;)

Just the way I am wired ...

Yet , as a poem , very beautiful...;)

As far as you feeling , and zen approach...wonderful for you...I am glad !

I am not one to accept reality as it is , and see it as beautiful...

I favor the change reality , as you will , to make it beautiful in your eyes !

( inner and outer perception )

Interesting you see this as zen approach....hmmm  
I am not a Buddhist, don't like the idea of being pacified where action is needed, even though meditation can be useful in some ways, but I can work in my garden or go snorkeling, that's my meditation.  
I do see some rusty cars as beautiful, same with old rotten wood buildings....like the ones out in the desert in Arizona....there is some beautiful decay out there. I understand this to be a matter of taste.  
Hahaha, the thing with your wrinkly couch sounds like something compulsive to me, maybe a bit anal, but we all have those in one way or another don't we? ; )  
So last but not least, again you project this zen thing on me...Just because I did write these lines, doesn't mean I have my head up my ass, scooze my French.... I know about the ugly shit that's out there. Just wanted to write something nice for a change.  
Ok...you said your's, I said mine....no harm done...all is fine.  
Always appreciate you stopping by for a read Dark One.

Glad you do appreciate me reading your work ( smiles )

And I do hope commenting !

I do see poems , especially on a public board , as opening

possible great conversations ( like the old coffee houses ,

and even before , "salons" 1800's style ) ;

To clear a "possible" misunderstanding ;

I am well aware you are not a Buddhist , and that you don't

take "shit" as we have interacted a fair bit on DUP...

Yet I did find the poem , in structure , and statement ,

including the title to have a zen approach , yes , as far

as I have been taught , and experience , zen ;

I have been taught ( and others may see zen differently )

that zen is an approach dealing with opposites , and their

resolution , leading to an "invisible third" ; I was also taught

the place in the body where opposites were resolved was

in the "heart" , not the "mind"...so with the juxtapositions of

things many would not consider beautiful , ( such as me with cars )

with the concept of beauty through the lens of perspective , I

saw your poem expressing that beautifully...

I do find that to be a great approach to life ( for any , who do choose that ) ;

That approach is found in certain traditions where some say :

"Everything is perfection" , or the modern "It's all good" , or even my best

friend for many years "All is love"...( for me that just does not work...lol ! )

I am laughing here , but I remember a perfect example  :

I told my roommate , who *was* a meditator on a daily basis , hours a day ,

and said "everything is perfect" :

"No , your bike is *not perfect* in the living room"...LOL !

When I was thinking of the cars in your poem , it brought up the images of

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadillac_Ranch

Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo , Texas , yet as I lived in the desert , many old cars

sitting out , abandoned , yet as well , neighbors who actually did junk their

cars where I had to see them everyday in their yard , and it drove me crazy ;

And yeah , we all have quirks...lol !

That is what I was laughing at myself when I said I was "just wired" to accept ,

love , and see as beautiful the lines in a grandmother's face , but not couch

wrinkles ( it is OCD of me , and drove my lovers crazy ) ;

Old buildings falling apart , I'm right with you !

I lived in a 100 year old cabin on top of a 6500' mountain in Arizona...

And saw many old ones that I considered gorgeous :

I thought your poem was / is beautiful...and there is no intent to "frame"

you in a Eastern / Buddhist perspective , though I was stating my not

being able to embrace that philosophy , yet appreciate it...:)

Last funny story :

My old good friend used to live in San Francisco , 1960 / 1970's ;

He was good friends with the famous philosopher / teacher , and

famous alcoholic , Alan Watts ;

So one night they go to another mutual monk friend's talk on Zen ;

After a couple of hours talking about Zen and meditating , and

sending up prayers , they go out to eat together ;

My friend ordered a stout while waiting for dinner , Alan ordered

some hard alcohol , then the Zen master ordered gin ;

My friend looked at him , and asked :

"You are drinking *gin* " ?

The Zen master looked at him , bowed his head , with

hands in prayer position , and said :

"First Zen talk and meditation , then gin : *Very Zen* "

Then he belly laughed !

Juxtapositions cause one to think , beyond the norm ,

yet as well can open the heart...

Thanks for the poem !

Brought back some good memories !

Yeah, I get it....I also like how poems can stimulate discussion and debate. I do enjoy speaking with people who have opinions that differ from mine because it challenges me to communicate and make arguments without flying of the handle. That's good exercise. I looked at the Zen approach and there are situations in which it comes in as useful....accepting reality as is....however I do not subscribe to complacency and not taking a clear stand on things. Acceptance to me just means being in reality and then the question becomes what I want to do about it  We are far to deep into the shit to just sit and chant cute little mantras. I also have issues with the mind control aspect of it....like with other religions. Buddhism has been westernized and been made palatable, iconocized by the current Dalai Lama, who enjoyed generous pay offs from the CIA for several decades. The guy actually pisses me off with his gold watch and his private jet, living in a palace and going around spouting off that we are all equal....rich and poor...all equal. No Motherfucker....we are not!  
Anyway....here I am getting all wound up...makes my back hurt....
Yeah...funny... I saw you all OCDing on the couch thing....there you are in your Gandalf outfit compulsively straghtening out the wrinkles like a little old lady....hahaha
Have a good day Dark One!

Like this very much, Ange.. everything has it's own grace... all it needs is the eye to behold it. Thank you for bringing it to our attention.

Thanks for reading and commenting Ely.

Short and powerful. I like this a lot

Thank you!

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Its all about perception.

Yes, and thanks for reading..
A