Haiku Hedonism

Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not one bit simpler. - Albert Einstein in the Zen Calendar (March 23, 2007).

It is through creating, not possessing, that life is revealed. - Vida D. Scudder in the Zen Calendar (July 23, 2009).

Day 299. After I mentioned Haiku in yesterday's post, I decided to try my hand at composing a few. My OCD neurons had a holiday with the strict parameters of "5 syllables, 7 syllables, 5 syllables; this poetry must contain EXACTLY 17 syllables." Talk about an art form superlatively designed for me! Creativity with Rules! How divine! I have a hunch that this concept of "minimalism" is going to be around for a few days.

Here are my first (uncensored, unedited, flowing from my pen in the raw) attempts:

A year of writing
Cushion sitting on all nights
Pen and mind quiet.

Cacophony brain
Inhale exhale one more time
Monkey chatter gone.

Senseless words drowned out
Vibration of ancient sound
Chanting in the calm.

Ears straining to hear
Echos in the emptiness
Black hole of my mind.

Trail of dirt and rock
Agony in the sunshine
Path to salvation.

Spinning wheels of dust
Doe eyes surprised and fleeting
Exit from her woods.

Balanced perfectly
Violate laws of physics
Fall back down to earth.

Just read my seven stanzas of Haiku. Crude and primitive, yet I feel eerily predisposed to become quite attached to this brilliant form of expression. Expect to see some more. I am going to blog as simply as possible, but not one bit simpler.

Gassho,
CycleBuddhaDoc