Reading Cold Mountain *
Drums grumble nonstop
in the capital city
Deaf man march
Where shall I lend
my small but mighty might?
To what deity or boneyard
shall I make my deepest bow?
… hungering for empty belly
empty of hunger
A single bell rings
Shall I keep still?
Retreat to the mountains?
Grab my pen, ink overflowing?
Or let life’s canvas
go on scrolling
its vast emptiness?
The cries of the world lament
louder than ever
Sorrow and tenderness
burst beyond any known self
Odysseys and homecomings
may both lead
heavenward or astray
Was there ever
an elsewhere to escape to?
If so, what a tiny portal
it must be by now
If the sage was planning to return,
now would be a good time
Yes. Now.
*Han Shan was a legendary 7th century Chinese sage and recluse. He took his name from Cold Mountain, the refuge he called home, where he purportedly left his poems scrawled on the rocks.
Kitty Costello
