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
