A poem about meeting the music of each moment.
“Improvisation,” by Thomas Hitoshi Pruiksma
THE SAFETY OF EDGES
Marrowstone Press, Seattle
author, poet, teacher, and performer
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A poem about meeting the music of each moment.
IMPROVISATION
only happens
when it happens
though years may have passed
so what happens
might happen
the musician who gets it right
gets it right
right now
don’t wait
when it happens
happen
“Improvisation,” by Thomas Hitoshi Pruiksma
THE SAFETY OF EDGES
Marrowstone Press, Seattle
A poem about size and true strength by the 12th century Tamil woman, poet, and saint Avvaiyar. From her collection, “The Word that Endures.”
Magnolias have large petals; honeysuckles, a sweet fragrance.
Don’t judge a man small by his body.
The sea is vast
Yet cannot clean hands. Beside it, the little spring
Yields sweet water.
Moothurai 12, “Madal perithu thazhai.”
Translated from the Tamil by Thomas Hitoshi Pruiksma
GIVE, EAT, AND LIFE: POEMS OF AVVAIYAR
Red Hen Press, Los Angeles
A poem about gratitude and the passage of time.
POCKET WATCH
Each day when I remember
I wind the old watch
hanging from its stand
where it watches my desk
you told me you liked it
Grandpa remembered
take it you should have it
Lloyd fixed it last year
it runs well enough for its age
and it does
it stands
at the edge of my mornings
running and still
if I listen
I can hear
what he told me
about life
time passes
faster than you think
remembering his voice
I take the old watch
wind it renew it set it
on its stand
and dare
to enjoy the time
that I have that I know
won’t last forever
“Pocket Watch,” by Thomas Hitoshi Pruiksma
THE SAFETY OF EDGES
Marrowstone Press, Seattle
A poem about poetry and power by the 12th century Tamil woman, poet, and saint Avvaiyar. From her collection, “The Word that Endures.”
Between the king and the careful poet, the poet
Has greater glory.
Apart from his kingdom
A king has nothing. Every place a poet goes—
Praise.
Moothurai 26, “Mannanum maasara kattronum.”
Translated from the Tamil by Thomas Hitoshi Pruiksma
GIVE, EAT, AND LIFE: POEMS OF AVVAIYAR
Red Hen Press, Los Angeles
Talk delivered on February 15, 2020. Organized loosely around exploring the relationship between the Cascadian bioregion as it intersects with Zen ideas, practices, and aesthetics, Seattle University hosted a diverse group of writers interested in exploring the question of “What is Cascadian Zen?” through their poetic and/or philosophical writing.