xk

Leaves turn color and fall.
Loved ones rise from the grave.
There is no reason to these things.
Only ceaseless change.


Being in the moment,
precious breath is filled with beauty.
There is no betrayal when it is gone.
Strike with compassion
and burn the corpse if there is time.


On the water, a reflection of the moon.
When we are still within ourselves,
we are serene even in the midst of chaos.
One correctly placed bullet
makes compost for many flowers.


A shambling corpse,
a poisonous snake,
a sudden blizzard.
These perils are impersonal
and can be survived with a clear mind.
Fear, confusion, and self pity,
These are the enemies we must defeat
in order to survive.


Plum blossoms arrive in the spring.
Different from last year's,
yet welcomed as old friends.
Compassion, kindness, and equanimity,
keep our nakama alive,
even as we burn the dead.


Please post your own in the comments.