What the Buddha Taught Me
While I Was Painting-By-Numbers
Ardently do today what must be done.
Feed the cat, take out the trash,
work the brushes before paint dries out.
A good case for confusion is
this story we tell ourselves.
Find a new story between the lines.
Drop by drop is the water pot filled.
Color by color, the canvas
reveals what it’s designed to reveal.
It is natural and wise to doubt.
Patience means consistency.
Each color discovers its own mystery.
Forgiveness is letting go of hope
for a better past. Today’s canvas
will be more flawless than the last.
Compose yourself, be happy.
Who knows? Tomorrow, death comes
or the paint runs out.
Joy follows a pure thought like a shadow
that never leaves or like a signature
on a canvas—accomplished and complete.
The last brush stroke will vibrate
the temple bell and attest
to colors closest to enlightenment.
Carolyn Martin is a recovering work addict who’s adopted the Spanish proverb, “It is beautiful to do nothing and rest afterwards” as her daily mantra. She is blissfully retired––and resting––in Clackamas, Oregon where she delights in gardening, feral cats, and backyard birds. Her poems have appeared in more than 200 publications throughout the U.S., the UK, and Australia. For more: http://www.carolynmartinpoet.com.
Amethyst Review 