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Open Poetry #7
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Garden of TAO
| Open Poetry #7 |
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Garden of TAO |
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brian madden Member Elite
since 2000-05-06
Posts 4374ireland 
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"What the caterpillar calls the end, The world calls a butterfly" - Lao Tze Tao 1 My lamp, under dimmest light, offers only shadows to comfort for this day is taking too long. Woken into this now I can not evict from my head all the fury visited upon me. I shower vainly to pacify my emotions. Standing before a mirror; my reflection as the only witness to my existence. My exposed mind trembles with the marks of boredom taunting eternally. 2 Under the shadows of the rose bush, a lone caterpillar escapes its cocoon; mutilation of its primitive self shed to progress, revealing a beauty nurtured within. 3 Construct a boundary bury my pity within its fertile soil. Brittle leaves wilt upon my scars, allow my garden to grow. As a skeleton, in slumber, of autumn. I await the cycle of rebirth. Winter is unwelcome, unable to decay. Death exists only within the cycle of renewal. in the silken waves of tulips I breathe the harmonies of nature. My spirit, lulled of the tortures, is truly free. ============================== "Effect emptiness to the extreme. Keep stillness whole. Myriad things act in concert. I therefore watch their return. All things flourish and each returns to its root. Returning to the root is called quietude. Quietude is called returning to life. Return to life is called constant. Knowing this constant is called illumination. Acting arbitrarily without knowing the constant is harmful. Knowing the constant is receptivity, which is impartial. Impartiality is kingship. Kingship is Heaven. Heaven is Tao Tao is eternal. Though you lose the body, you do not die". Lao Tze Tao < !signature--> "Isn't it enough to see that a garden is beautiful without having to believe that there are fairies at the bottom of it too? " Douglas Adams [This message has been edited by brian madden (edited 05-27-2000).] |
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LadySofia Member
since 2000-05-16
Posts 238FL., USA |
You really made me use my head here! Beautiful imagery, and I like the way you used Lao's quote for ?? inspiration ?? Very good work on the cycles of life, death, and rebirth! ^_^ Amanda Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate, Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, And summer's lease hath all too short a date. Sometimes too hot the eye of heaven shines, And often is his gold complexion dimmed; And every fair from fair sometimes declines, By chance or nature's changing course, untrimmed. But thy eternal summer shall not fade, Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow'st; Nor shall death brag thou wand'rest in his shade, When in eternal lines to time thou grow'st. So long as men can breathe or eyes can see, So long lives this, and this gives life to thee. William Shakespeare |
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Nan
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-20
Posts 21191Cape Cod Massachusetts USA |
This is wonderful, Brian... You have a suberb attitude, and you express it beautifully..  |
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Janet Marie Member Laureate
since 2000-01-22
Posts 18554 |
Under the shadows of the rose bush, a lone caterpillar escapes its cocoon; mutilation of its primitive self shed to progress, revealing a beauty nurtured within. ----------- Effect emptiness to the extreme. Keep stillness whole. Myriad things act in concert. I therefore watch their return. All things flourish and each returns to its root. Returning to the root is called quietude. Quietude is called returning to life. Return to life is called constant. Knowing this constant is called illumination. Acting arbitrarily without knowing the constant is harmful. Knowing the constant is receptivity, which is impartial ------------- im so glad you posted this, it is SO cool, and so deep. the imagery is superb. my head hurts from the depth and wisdom of how you can express your thoughts poetically. I better get use to it.  EXCELLENT writing Bri, and THANKS so much for finding & sharing the TAO quote with me, it is perfect. later poetic prophet, jm Some things cannot be explained by verses that rhyme, They are not measured by the commitment of time. Some emotions run too deep to be described by words, Forgiveness and understanding-remain the most beautiful words ever heard. ~Janet Marie~ "What the caterpillar calls the end ... The world calls a butterfly" ~Lao Tze Tao~ ~Butterflies are meant to be free~ |
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brian madden Member Elite
since 2000-05-06
Posts 4374ireland |
Lady Sofia...I wrote the poem before I discovered Taoism, but it did not quiet work. I rewrote it after I read about Taosim (the Tao of Pooh, anyway) and added the quote which inspired me to rewrite the poem. phew, those that make sense? thanks for your comment, Lao was an inspiration, to look at what I wrote in a different light. thanks for your kind words. Thank you Nan. I used to look into the darkness and see only darkness, now I see the positive. Thank you for your kind words. Janet, I did not write the second bit, I wish I was that enlightened. "Effect emptiness to the extreme. Keep stillness whole. Myriad things act in concert. I therefore watch their return." Are the teachings of Lao Tze Tao. I am not that clever. "my head hurts from the depth and wisdom of how you can express your thoughts poetically". And you steal my breath with the beauty and emotional honesty you write with, so I guess we are even. [This message has been edited by brian madden (edited 05-21-2000).] |
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Marge Tindal 
since 1999-11-06
Posts 42384Florida's Foreverly Shores |
BrianM~ Thanks for sharing these thoughts. It was a little difficult to tell where you left off and Tao began .... but I figured it out. In the 'quietude' I found myself ... 'Construct a boundary bury my pity within its fertile soil.' Fertile thoughts, indeed. ~*Marge*~ ~*The pen of the poet never runs out of ink, as long as we breathe.*~ noles1@totcon.com |
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Martie
Moderator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-09-21
Posts 28049California |
Deep and wise words and much food for thought. Really enjoyed reading this wonderful piece! |
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serenity blaze Member Empyrean
since 2000-02-02
Posts 27738 |
Fabulous brian---loved it, no, LOVE it! Hope ya don't mind me printing a copy, (y'see I keep this little book...well, it WAS little till I came to this Goldmine of Poetry...giggle) but anyhoo--Bravo! and thank you for this, much needed words to hear... |
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Sudhir Iyer Member Ascendant
since 2000-04-26
Posts 6943Mumbai, India : now in Belgium |
I proclaim thee: Brian 'the brilliant' Madden.  Tis true that a life-cycle is a cycle of many a life and death.... Great words from a brilliant personality... Usually, I try to add a few words of my own, but here I am stupified and awed... My muse just said, 'I shut up' Regards, sudhir. Life is like a painting, That in an art gallery is left hanging, Though many come just to look at it, A very few actually come to enjoy it. |
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Meadowmuse Member Elite
since 1999-12-27
Posts 3263 |
"My spirit, lulled of the tortures, is truly free." I haven't anything clever to add to what has already been said, Brian...this is lovely, through and through... ~ Claire Could a greater miracle take place than for us to look through each other's eyes for an instant?......Henry David Thoreau |
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brian madden Member Elite
since 2000-05-06
Posts 4374ireland |
Marge, sorry if I caused any confusion. thank you for your lovely words. Thanks also Martie, No problem with printing off a copy of the poem Serenity, it is just everytime someone looks at my poem in your book you have to charge them $5, I get 80% and you get 20% lol WOW Sudhir, oh brilliant, I don't know? Brian "Bashful" Madden maybe especially after your very kind words. My ego has expanded to its limits with all these kind words. Thanks also Claire. Excuse while I pick up the pieces of my ego, it just exploded. Thank for all you kind words, I am going to go away and try to be humble again. |
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Mike Member Elite
since 1999-06-19
Posts 2462 |
Excellent poetry. Enjoyed muchly. |
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Janet Marie Member Laureate
since 2000-01-22
Posts 18554 |
*brown eyes is smiling from ear to ear* WHY? because she TOLD YOU SO!! LOL like i said my friend... BETTER GET USE TO IT!! ahh...I just love when others prove me right! I just love being right...(doesnt happen often)*smile* thank you for such a sweet reply! later Bri-gator... jm |
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Irish Rose Member Patricius
since 2000-04-06
Posts 10263 |
I always feel a garden symbolizes life, as it goes in cycles., an excellent analogy Kathleen indy31_99@yahoo.com |
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Cerenity Member Elite
since 2000-02-16
Posts 2637Escondido-California |
Hi Brian, Now after such a wonderful and powerful read I am speechless AWESOME!!! Love, Cerenity |
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Elizabeth Santos Member Rara Avis
since 1999-11-08
Posts 9269Pennsylvania |
A refreshing and wonderful read. Who wrote it is not important, who reads it doesn't matter, who understands and lives it is fortunate. Thank you for posting this Liz |
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