OPTIMISM

There is a Taoist parable of a farmer and his lost horse.  It seems that a series of “misfortunes” occur, and each time his neighbors say isn’t that terrible .  His response is “Maybe” or “It’s too soon to say”.

Since October last year, when my wife had a bad accident in London, and then with the result of the presidential elections and the first month of this presidency - I have had a hard time writing good poetry and putting together this podcast.  However I have been saying to myself “be optimistic” “Its too soon to say”. “Be grateful for our life”.

Transcript

There is a Taoist parable of a farmer and his lost horse.  It seems that a series of “misfortunes” occur, and each time his neighbors say isn’t that terrible .  His response is “Maybe” or “It’s too soon to say”.

Since October last year, when my wife had a bad accident in London, and then with the result of the presidential elections and the first month of this presidency - I have had a hard time writing good poetry and putting together this podcast.  However I have been saying to myself “be optimistic” “Its too soon to say”. “Be grateful for our life”.

OPTIMISM WILL WIN

Hour by hour, Day by day

the mind can dwell

on how awful this or that is.

Where do we end up?

In a swamp of negativity

sinking into the mud of depression

Overwhelmed with fear or anger?

What terrible things will happen next?

Hold on - it has not happened

and all those bad actions

will fail soon enough

in the face of resistance and courage.

History ebbs and flows,

we enter deep valleys

where the sky is hardly visible.

The mist and clouds surround us,

Then we climb up to the mountain peak

and the brilliant light illumines

the beauty of the world around us.

How I spend my time is my choice,

my choice alone keeps me free

free of the barrage of news

free of mind numbing talking heads

free of speculating commentators.

At the same time 

I cannot live completely

in an uninformed bubble

protected from apparent reality.

And yet i can know that

there is a higher truth

there is a universal logic

there is a something good

that will emerge 

beyond what i can see now.

This play of consciousness

runs through us and everything we see

everything we feel and think

everything everywhere.

like the mycorrhizal network

an unseen, underworld network

communicating and taking care

of the visible world of trees.

Knowing this power exists

in the heart of human beings

In the animate and inanimate,

I am free of fear

I am optimistic that 

everything happens for a reason 

that goodness will prevail.

My part is stay out of the swamp

to be kind and compassionate

to do my best to serve

the highest good,

those needing support,

to stay optimistic 

in the face of apparent chaos.

Om Shantih Shantih.

SUNRISE TIME

Time keeps walking ahead

with many facets and textures

opening doors, closing possibilities

flowing along in time

bodies change, minds change

and every day the planets 

and our earthly companions

continue their unstoppable routines.

Today,

As the sun slowly rose

a pale orange ball

through the morning mist

slender cypress trees appeared,

faint grey outlines

emerging out of their rotund roots

held steady in shallow swamp waters.

in the brightening light

of the rising sun

many subtle shades of green

are seen

leaves on the slender branches of the cypress

stringy spanish moss, old man’s beard

beautiful sparkling spiders webs

everywhere water drop diamonds

magnifying the morning sun

.

Tricolor heron catches a black tadpole

the curved bill of the ibis

dips and rises like a piston

searching the shallow water 

for its tasty breakfast treat.

I remember who I am.

Our true Self is changeless

The place we all exist

a place to go

the center of time

the still point in  tumult

the place to witness and observe

to be steady and calm

to put everything in the perspective 

of infinity and infinite time.

NOTE: photos on www.thewalkingpoet.net

©MARTINSTRASMORE2025