Horses

Horses galloping on the
hill—bright sun, blue
sky, joy on an autumn
morning. Gensei says,
“With the happiness held
in one inch-square heart,
you can fill the whole space
between heaven and earth.”
Looking around me, feeling
within, my desires are only
what appears before me,
my gratitude as boundless
as the cool air. When I
was younger, this is what
I searched for, believing
it to be a treasure-world
of fantastical appearance;
now as the satisfaction
of being fills every pore,
my only regrets are the
pains I’ve caused others.
When the smallest of the
small is more than enough,
I am filled with both joy
and sorrow, tears, and a
smile wider than the
widest sky.

Posted by kind permission of Richard Wehrman.