The house always wins

Some win good
and ace the test.
Some win better
and shame the rest.
Losers lament
while winners jest.
But Grim laughs harder,
'cause Death wins best.

The house always wins,
you know its true.
Don't look surprised
when they come for you:
for this body, name
and all this fame.
Blackjack in the casino
of Death, his game.

We've had a streak
of luck, a bit.
And security's been
watching all of it.
Cocktails, women,
dice, and play.
To congratulate us on
our lucky day.

We go back to our
hotel room up, a bit.
And Death's been
watching all of it.
We close our eyes
for just a wink.
And wake up teetering
on the brink
of fortune, fame,
a roulette game.
I lost my house,
and it felt the same
when I lost my
degree, my kids, my name.
I lost it all.
And death's to blame!

The house always wins.
I know it's true!
But I thought I could win
and shame him too.
But Death is patient.
And Death is kind.
And Death will surely
take all that's mine.

So what is it
I truly own?
These are not "mine"
but rented bones.
And Death will come
and take these too.
House always wins.
And I know it's true!

But is there wealth--
if just a bit--
that moth won't chew
and rust not git--
that's always shiny,
golden, new--
is there anything here
like that, that's true?

And some win good,
they're better than rest.
And winners love
to laugh and jest.
But an unsettling cackling
that quiets that din.
And the one that's laughing,
I know it's him.

SI 2011-11

CNV ES: Perceived investment without return
CNV CS:
-Vanity begets greed and miserliness
-Perceived investment is backpay

CNV KH

1. Accept the unacceptable
2. Correct the unacceptable within
3. Inspire correction without

ATETL

-Worldly happenings as Heavenly Messengers.
-Suffering diminishes faith in the material; begets the Auspicious Timing.
-Even polishing the brass diligently, the dirt under the rug remains undiminished.
-With affinity, anything can trigger remembrance; without affinity, same trigger, no reaction.
-With affinity, awe; without affinity, same trigger, no awe.
-Stress begets tension, tension as armor; bowing to release armor.


MD MTC

-Mentality: Good idea, thank you for thinking of it. Why didn't I think of it?
-Mentality: Why blame leaders for misguiding, I don't have a True Self? If not enlightened, that's my fault. No one else's.


MD MDC

Happiness is not from having more, but caring less.

Completing many small tasks yields great ease;
neglecting minor issues harvests great vexation.

If not bothered within, wouldn't point without.

Easy to say, hard to do;
profundity lies not in flowery words,
but bridging this gap.

SI 2011-10

BP P1

Without Shien For, without Dao;
No Shien For, no direction.

With benefit rendered, respect is earned.

BP P2

The marvelous appears plain to distinguish the faithful from the opportunists.

CNV LP: Different behavior, same mentality, no advancement.

CNV AK: In seeing the arrogance of others, who is arrogant first?

PSC

Those who wish to penetrate Li,
ought to break through ought-to-be.

SI 2011-09

PS C 3

Affinity is from previous causes;
inferior and superior are relative.

The unenlightened see different dharmas;
the enlightened apply the Dharma differently.

As far as Heaven up there, Jesus is too far away;
as far as Upright Matters, Jesus is not remote.

Assuming true, expose the fallacies; sensing void, open to fulfillment.

Who, besides the pure, can reside in the Pure Land?

BP P & P1

Precepts not for Heaven's benefit;
benefit ourselves toward Heaven.

Wisdom is not learned directly.

Without rules, without standard;
without direction, without arriving.

Staying on the path,
what precipice will one encounter?

To honor Buddha, perform as Buddha.

Other ways are good, which path is surviving?
Other principles are sound, which ones not dividing?

CNV ES

Without gain, without participation; without temptation, without species.

As far as Spirit, these flesh suits are against us; if not, there would be no humans left.

Nothing outside will satisfy; satisfy with what's at hand.

CNV F

Seeing the part but not the whole, who dares make judgment?

MD LCS

Truth is void, whatever mind can grasp is relative.

Only void is pure, chi leaves traces.

The refuse of gold

I call it refuse,
and you call it gold.
You're happy to hear it,
I prefer it untold.

You tell me it's precious
a wisdom, a pearl!
To me, just as common
as acorn, a squirrel.

Scurrying rodents,
they're hopping around.
Common and ordinary
and hardly profound.

I guess they're quite cute
when the curl up their nose.
But hardly compare to
a wisdom, a rose.

I mine for the diamonds
so rare, of expense.
You marvel the acorns
by pound, a few pence.

My backyard a mountain
discarded of shell.
I'll burn it tomorrow
and send it to hell.

You tell me, "Don't do that!
It's precious and rare!"
My jaw hits the floor.
I gawk and I stare.

Am I quite snooty?
Do I look down my nose?
I can't understand
why you don't see the rose.

To me, it's such refuse
and piling too high.
You tell me its worth
is like earth and the sky.

Forget all this refuse.
I set it ablaze.
These shells of these acorns
they hardly amaze.

Diamonds and gold
so rare, of expense.
Marvel at acorns,
by pound, a few pence.

Am I quite snooty?
Afraid I'm a snob.
Pay money for acorns?
I think you've been robbed!

I'd certainly give you
all mine there for free.
But I'd rather be rid of
my old oaken tree.

It's branches so thick;
It's foliage so green.
The shade is so heavy;
the sun can't be seen!

I pulled out my chainsaw,
it quickly got trapped!
And the handle just splintered
when swung with my axe!

The squirrels they did gibber;
they laughed in the dark.
You told me, "Don't do that,
there's gold in that bark!"

I don't really think so.
It's old worthless wood.
I'd chop it all down.
And I wish that I could!

You see it's obscuring
that heavenly sky.
If the sun it could pierce it
you would not ask why.

There's something more precious
than acorns and squirrels.
Something more solid
than this trash you dub pearls.

Perhaps I'm quite snooty
or crazy or high.
I could be insane,
but there's gold in the sky!
I glimpsed it in winter
the light caught my eye.
Oh that we see it,
you would not ask why.

The final lament

If the heavens split open;
If the sky does fall.
That won't vex me.
Not at all.

If the earth cracks open;
If lava rush through.
Peacefully,
I say adieu.

But endlessly,
to leave, return.
That's the fire,
I can't watch burn.

To have the chance
to escape this mess.
And fail miserably
the final test.

To reach the border,
but not the shore.
A taste of honey,
so adored.

If the sky splits open;
If the earth does rend.
Can we welcome them
as long last friend?

But the gate was opened;
but can't walk through.
Lament mistaking
the false for True.

Ad nauseam

Shall I wax poetic?
Increase in words?
If I babbled at length,
would that be absurd?

Shall I expound on all
that I can see?
Blather into
infinity?

Points of view,
I've sure got mine.
I could drone ad nauseam
if you have the time.

I could bore you with such
points of interest.
Although, to you,
may make no difference.

If I waxed poetic,
would you think me vain?
Waste your time
with minutiae inane.

Your patience, saintly;
you're quite polite.
But next time don't let me
expound this tripe!

Time is precious,
and I'm wasting yours.
I drone ad nauseam,
and it's so absurd.
I wax poetic;
increase in words.
Such senseless babble
should go unheard!

Why give your audience?
Why lend your ear?
Why endure so calmly
and not run from here?

Shall we wax poetic
on all we find?
I could drone ad nauseam,
if you have the time.