Author: Mark J. Chmiel

Given the Transition Ahead

May you be curious May you be wide-eyed May you reach for notebook when stomach flipflops May you remember how many people think of you May you always be at home at the address of…

Ko Un

1. Ko Un‘s Ten Thousand Lives is a remarkable sample in English of his twenty-volume work in Korean, known as Maninbo.  In his early years, he was a Buddhist monk.  Later, he was part of…

Walk Out Walk On

One friend is increasingly bored and dissatisfied with her Christian Sunday church services. Another left her job of teaching 175 high school students a year in the public school system to volunteer for three months…

Ekāgratā*/2

I received this post from actor, visionary, disturber of the peace, and forever maestra, Miss Magan Wiles. Professor Friend – I am excited to read your play/book/literary experience. I want to read it all in one…

I Just Want to Say

Dear Bella Levenshteyn You come to my mind More times than you could imagine I won’t quote Kerouac (You’ve had enough of him, I’m sure) I’ll quote the Jewish poet and tell you: “You are…

Sufrir no es suficiente

Thích Nhất Hạnh: La vida está llena de sufrimiento, pero también ofrece muchas maravillas como el cielo azul, la luz del sol, los ojos de un niño. Sufrir no es suficiente; debemos, además, entrar en…

Ekāgratā*

No sipping Northeast Coffee latte supreme with whipped cream No texting someone I’ll see in ten minutes No zoning out to Diane Rehm No penciling out the evening workout on a crumpled scratch pad No…

It’s About

As I offer to share a 250-page novel/collage (Dear Layla/Welcome to Palestine) With a friend here and there A typical question is– “What’s it about?” OK It’s about good mimesis It’s about memory, resistance and…