Tuesday, January 14, 2020

Two Chained Chairs


Two red chairs chained together.
Do they want to run away from the other
or hold arms?

Will this prevent theft? Or just suggest
to a thief
that either both be taken, or neither.

They didn't choose this bondage.
Chained, they can't be moved without
being in concert. If they have a fight they could be
positioned back to back.

And
in the middle of a cold night they
might pray that a storm would
sweep them together, letting one
sit warmly on the other's lap.

We don't know the story, really.
Maybe it was a jokester who
chained them together. Or maybe
the owner, fearful that they will run
off and join the circus.

I would not sit in
these chairs, feeling like I was
making this cruelty ok. Id feel
chained myself, sitting on
such a chained chair.

Others might think nothing of it,
chained to a chained chair.
They might not wonder
if the chain would snake
up and chain them too.

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Reflections on Talks on Buddha's Lists

During a recent Appamada Intensive our students gave talks on Buddha's lists. Here are my reflections on their talks.