This poem is based on a Zen story where a conquering general sweeps through towns, and people, like a sword through water. The general eventually comes upon a soul monk practicing a meditative prayer. The general announces himself, “Do you not know that I am the warrior who will run a sword through you without blinking an eye?” The monk answers the question by announcing himself, “Do you not know that I am the monk who can be run through with a sword without blinking an eye?” In the original story, the general throws down his sword and begs the monk to take him on as his disciple. The poem has a more open ending.<\/p>\n
General Li Wong<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n A warrior This poem is based on a Zen story where a conquering general sweeps through towns, and people, like a sword through water. The general eventually comes upon a soul monk practicing a meditative prayer. The general announces himself, “Do you … Continue reading
\nOf ultimate rank
\nThinking to hi heaven
\nConquered village after village
\nLike a sword
\nRunning through water
\nLife scattering
\nLike only blood kin due
\nUntil won fateful our
\nHe showed up
\nAt the peek
\nOf his kingly ambition
\nAnd every corporeal aspiration
\nA loan temple
\nA soul monk
\nExorcising a breath preyer
\nBringing a bout
\nThese ordained udderings
\nDue you no who I am?!
\nI am the ruler
\nThat will
\nRun my sword
\nThrough you
\nLike water
\nWithout blinking an eye
\nTo which he was presented
\nA stair beyond belief
\nThat most inviting peer
\nI am ruled by no won
\nCan you know who I am
\nWho can have a sword
\nRun through him
\nWithout blinking an I
\nAnd what can lonely be learned
\nBy a thousand villages razed
\nA cryptic seeing
\nA dooring pupil
\nThat in is capable
\nDisciple to be
\nOf a terminal preyer<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"