the rosewood box

Late afternoon watching the valley sky 

what would it take to fill this sky with octopuses 

I don’t know but I bet there’s a poem in trying

----------

So it has come to this -- 

the last bee alive on earth 

I turn my hand in the air and the bee follows it 

a flowing motion for both of us 

I lean in close as if to speak to the bee 

but my mind is blank 

what does one say to the final bee 

summer 

the day is very hot 

over 100 degrees 

I turn to go back into my house 

and the last bee follows me like a happy dog 

perhaps I’ll call him Lewis

----------

another fine and perfect sunrise 

sweet as a tangerine 

I took my tangerine from the sky 

and placed it in a lovely handmade box 

rosewood 

I placed the box on a shelf in my bookcase 

where it awaits my next new day

----------

one of my teachers

I don't remember which one

said everything that happens

could be a poem

so I was hosing bird shit

from the car just now

and stopped to capture

the poetic moment

----------

Restraint and patience. Wisdom and diligence. Kindness and generosity. May I seek out ways to practice these every day, and be thankful that I can.

james lee jobe 

Similar to the Buddha, we can learn to stop trying to escape the sobering truths of life, and instead be willing to experience them fully, looking at them deeply through and through.

Mark Van Buren, “Understanding Dukkha”

I feel that there is nothing more truly artistic than to love people. 

Vincent Van Gogh

Vincent Van Gogh

If you can, please help support this blog with a small donation through the Buy Me A Coffee link below. Thank you. -james