Thich Nhat Hanh is made of non-Thich Nhat Hanh elements. Jennifer Ying-Burgoyne is made of non-Jennifer Ying-Burgoyne elements. Dr. Suess is made of non-Dr. Suess elements. Maude is made of non-Maude elements. Victor Jara is made…
This weekend is commencement Each day is commencement Each hour is commencement I’ve known you Twenty months May I know you twenty years more What spirit you manifest! So many creative powers– Poetry, art, organizing…
Saturday Sunny 21 February 2009 Dear Katie Murphy Would you take a ride with me On 55-South You pick exit We’ll find diner or truck stop We’ll take out notebooks Write in silence Then eat…
for Lizzie Corcoran Another school year comes to an end We blink a coupla times Nine months go by I read Diane di Prima’s words On Suzuki Roshi And am reminded of what matters Not…
Dear Bella If you’ve practiced lojong previously Then you can practice lojong now This morning I woke up Thinking of you And one of my favorite slogans “Don’t be swayed by external circumstances” So simple!…
The poet W. H. Auden said “The funniest and kindest of mortals Are those who are most aware of the baffle of being” (A friend named Rex used this quotation In an inscription to me…
Now that you’re headed to _________ And people are wishing that you’ll have a “great” experience I hope you have a non-“great” experience If “great” means photo-ops Looking good with beautiful smiling native children After…
You came back from El Salvador with the preferential option lodged in your heart Had to endure Catholic Social Teaching deadness You had to be ready for ridicule* You know there’s no safe, neutral, objective…
OK. I Confess: I’m afraid I won’t live long enough To hold in my wrinkled hands A nasturtium-colored book entitled The Collected Writings of Bella Levenshteyn (v. 1, much less v.1-7) But on the bright side…
“If only we could see ourselves through the eyes of the people who adore us…” –Courtney Barrett, Improv Wisdom Writing class, Spring 2014 You Right now Are deeply present Blessing me I Right now Am…