#ten windows: how great poems transform the world

[chazzbot]

Everything we have lived and touched and learned from is the knowledge brought to the moment of creative making--emotional experiences, ethics, yearnings, heard bird calls and tasted breads, the storehouse of learning. A poet needs to know the parts of the internal combustion engine, the histories of Buenos Aires and the Ukraine, the fleeting trace-maps of particle physics, the poetries of South India, Portugal, and Iran. He or she needs to know the close to alchemical processes by which whiskey and honey come into being, the secret look that passes between mother and almost-grown son, the narrow alleyways of rhetoric, the differing fatigues of failure and success. There is no way of telling in advance what part of our knowledge will be needed at any given moment.

Jane Hirshfield, Ten Windows: How Great Poems Transform the World

[whisperthatruns]

Certain haiku, such as Issa's 'Don't worry, spider---I keep house casually,' simply bring the unnoticed to notice. It is as if the walls of the room you are in were suddenly to drop away and the house next door---which, after all, you did know was there---were suddenly sitting companionably within view, except the neighbor is the spider, and the house your own.

Jane Hirshfield, from “Poetry and the Constellation of Surprise,” Ten Windows: How Great Poems Transform the World (Alfred A. Knopf, 2015)

[metaphrasis]

...[At] Ryoan-ji rock garden in Kyoto: wherever in it a person stands, one of the fifteen rocks cannot be seen. The garden’s positioned stones remind us there is always something unknowable and invisible beyond what can be perceived or comprehended, yet as real as any other rock amid the raked gravel. It is our subjectivity, not the world, that creates the unknown.

Jane Hirshfield, Ten Windows: How Great Poems Transform the World

[fizzymusings]

"...musing does not impose, but bears witness."

"It quietly considers, and then, when it finally speaks, does so with the voice, respectful of other presences, that we use in a library, church or museum--the voice used, that is, when we feel we are in the company of something more important than ourselves."

-Jane Hirshfield "Language Wakes Up in the Morning," Ten Windows How Great Poems Transform the World

[thefoolofdelphi]

Inventing unreal reaches is a thing humans do. Accounts of the follies and angers of gods, fairy tales, folk tales. Trickster tales, parables, and stories of super-heroic doings are talk. Mr. Toad drives a car. We would not universally dream if the imagination's expeditions were not indispensable to any human life. They hold things we hunger for but cannot eat except by feasting in sleep, in daydream, in childhood play, in art. Slaves and prisoners singing of freedom may feel, for that moment, free.

Jane Hirshfield, from “Strange Reaches, Impossibility, and Big Hidden Drawers: Poetry and Paradox,” Ten Windows: How Great Poems Transform the World (Alfred A. Knopf, 2015)

[dk-thrive]

Art’s limitlessness awakens in us the sense of the psyche’s own limitless rooms.

“It may feel as if we have done nothing, only given a little time and space of attention; but some hairline-narrow crack opens in the self’s sense of purpose, and there art, there beauty, is. The result is as irresistible as eros, as voracious as the new green weeds in the crack of a sidewalk. Art’s limitlessness awakens in us the sense of the psyche’s own limitless rooms. It is how the inner world grows continually new.” - Jane Hirshfield, from “Language Wakes Up in the Morning: On Poetry’s Speaking,” Ten Windows: How Great Poems Transform the World (Alfred A. Knopf, 2015)

[thestylesindependent]

Brand new adventure- Harry’s interview with L’Officiel Hommes China (translation courtesy of Google)

He is the face of Gucci's new fragrance, an ultra-modern pop star and an exquisite young man, and Harry Styles may be content with his premature achievements. But he prefers to choose to be alone and fade out of the public eye, with curiosity or even greed to touch the music.

"So French!" The young man in a Mickey Mouse sweater smiled softly, facing the sometimes excited and blushing editorial team of magazines. On the day after the interview, his new song was launched, and it attracted more than 1.5 million followers in just a few hours. After a brief retreat, or after a breath-recovery process like holding his breath, a series of bumps began, and this was the return of Harry Styles. Harry, who has just soloed from One Direction (the band sold 50 million records over a six-year career and has since ceased indefinitely), achieved his personal career and released his first solo album in 2017. People saw him transforming. He was no longer the Harry of the 1D band, but became an independent artist, receiving reviews from music critics, and going in harmony with this era. He is fickle, he treats his sexual orientation peacefully, he defends equality, and supports same-sex marriage. The pop singer who has grown up in the greenhouse has now become a cocoon. Gucci's vibrant, poetic and destructive creative director Alessandro Michele, who is responsible for the styling of Harry's first tour after solo, has been selected as this fashion season Image ambassador for the new fragrance "Gucci Mémoire d'une Odeur". 

Soon before our meeting, he just spread some clear signals in an American journal, announcing some song samples of the new album: in recent months, he has been listening to McCartney, reading Murakami sang with Stevie Nicks in preparation for the new album. So on the day we met, we found two pieces of evidence that witnessed his creative journey over the past few months. The content of these songs is full, exquisitely arranged, delicate and at the same time rough and unruly, like an ecstatic intoxication, but also the sorrow of dawn and dawn, all of which show a large album full of color and temperature collision.

While anxiously waiting to jump into the vortex of public attention (album promotion, touring, and many things in celebrity life), the 25-year-old boy calmly told with restraint and enthusiasm throughout the day. Yourself. (To be honest, he did not try to avoid the eyes of passers-by. Instead, he walked in the panties between the two shots and ate Asian takeaway meals at the corner of the street instead of sipping healthy celery juice or eating Steamed tofu.) "The first smell I remember was probably the smell in her mother's kitchen, the smell of her roasted meat, and the smell of perfume on her." This is how this good son, also a contemporary superstar, is. Express his memory related to smell. However, if one day Harry lives in your house by accident, who knows if this will happen? Never let him feed your cat, because he said: "I have been accompanied by cats every time I grew up, every time. When I feed them, the smell of cat food makes me unbearable. "

It can be said that his cooperation with Alexandro Michele is not a pretense, and their creative lines coincide. "Alexandro is a free thinker, and his way of working is very enlightening. If he wants to do something, he will do it. It's that simple. It's impressive, especially for a big When working at a brand. This is great when you have the opportunity to participate in the work of a recognized master. He doesn't ask about class, age, or business. He does everything for everyone, everyone, I I think that any kind of art should be like that. "He talked about childhood again (yes, childhood seems to be yesterday in his eyes)": I like 'scent memory', I like its freshness, and it can be based on the user The different and changing characteristics. This perfume reminds me of the summer of childhood. Sitting with friends by the lake, where I grew up, smelling the fragrance of wild flowers ... "Today this Times exactly reflect the poem of Henri Michaux: "Night is not like daylight, it has great flexibility." That is to say, Michele's method is very suitable, even with this kind of abandoning the rules The approach is closely related. "Boundaries are gradually falling, whether in fashion, music festivals, film and television, or the art world ... I do n’t think people are still looking for differences in this category. The line between them is also the subject of creation. People no longer need to be this or that person. I think that people are simply trying to get better. In fashion and other fields, these standards are not as strict as before, which brings Great freedom, exciting. " "Although Michelle doesn't necessarily ask for my opinion, we will show some ideas to each other. It is cool to get opinions from people who are not necessarily in the same field as you, and you respect his work and taste "We noticed a new motivation, perhaps a new way of writing, which came from taking control of our careers. In short, when a seductive carefree and cruelly erodes talent, a serious mentality that a person shows ": writing songs is surfing. You can train as much as you can, and the waves Sometimes it doesn't. But we still need training to get better. It's impossible to sit down one day and think about writing the best song of my life. It takes a lot of effort. "

He worked in a bakery ten years ago, but now he has become the company's bet, the star and the focus of media attention. Whether out of fantasy or fact, he ca n’t help asking such a young man. How to get rid of this cobweb of public opinion. "Becoming famous is something I'm still learning and experiencing. I learn how to filter out what I like and dislike, pick out what can be integrated into the song, and what I don't want to share. Find a balance. Sometimes wondering how people think about this or that lyrics ... it means accepting to show off their fragile side, but at the same time, it makes the whole adventure exciting The reason. "He said. Indeed, when he revealed some clues about the upcoming album, the excitement was obvious, hoping that he could express "a sense of freedom". This feeling is not completely new to some hot idols, especially some like "Elvis Presley, Mick Jagger, Stevie Niks, Janis Joplin Joplin) and Prince ". In contrast to this crowd is Nick Drake, whom he likes to listen to recently. The outstanding singer's music is full and well-crafted, giving people a joy. "When I look at them, I don't know what it is, but it's there. It's a strange thing. They transcend the limits. When it comes to songwriting, McCartney has always had a huge impact on me. I was lucky Some of them are strong, and in my eyes, they have always been awesome. "

He arrived in a special car (with a driver, a small freezer and dark windows), and instead walked to the corner bar for a beer, and the number of people accompanying him decreased. Looking at the back of this millennial superstar, we think again of the teenager wearing an exaggerated cardigan, dreaming of standing out in the TV singer competition. Today, behind him is a gentle fragrance of wildflowers and Sunday lunch.

[hlupdate]

He is the face of Gucci's new fragrance, an ultra-modern pop star and an exquisite young man, and Harry Styles may be content with his premature achievements. But he prefers to choose to be alone and fade out of the public eye, with curiosity or even greed to touch the music.

"So French!" The young man in a Mickey Mouse sweater smiled softly, facing the sometimes excited and blushing editorial team of magazines. On the day after the interview, his new song was launched, and it attracted more than 1.5 million followers in just a few hours. After a brief retreat, or after a breath-recovery process like holding his breath, a series of bumps began, and this was the return of Harry Styles. Harry, who has just soloed from One Direction (the band sold 50 million records over a six-year career and has since ceased indefinitely), achieved his personal career and released his first solo album in 2017. People saw him transforming. He was no longer the Harry of the 1D band, but became an independent artist, receiving reviews from music critics, and going in harmony with this era. He is fickle, he treats his sexual orientation peacefully, he defends equality, and supports same-sex marriage. The pop singer who has grown up in the greenhouse has now become a cocoon. Gucci's vibrant, poetic and destructive creative director Alessandro Michele, who is responsible for the styling of Harry's first tour after solo, has been selected as this fashion season Image ambassador for the new fragrance "Gucci Mémoire d'une Odeur". Soon before our meeting, he just spread some clear signals in an American journal, announcing some song samples of the new album: in recent months, he has been listening to McCartney, reading Murakami sang with Stevie Nicks in preparation for the new album. So on the day we met, we found two pieces of evidence that witnessed his creative journey over the past few months. The content of these songs is full, exquisitely arranged, delicate and at the same time rough and unruly, like an ecstatic intoxication, but also the sorrow of dawn and dawn, all of which show a large album full of color and temperature collision.

While anxiously waiting to jump into the vortex of public attention (album promotion, touring, and many things in celebrity life), the 25-year-old boy calmly told with restraint and enthusiasm throughout the day. Yourself. (To be honest, he did not try to avoid the eyes of passers-by. Instead, he walked in the panties between the two shots and ate Asian takeaway meals at the corner of the street instead of sipping healthy celery juice or eating Steamed tofu.) "The first smell I remember was probably the smell in her mother's kitchen, the smell of her roasted meat, and the smell of perfume on her." This is how this good son, also a contemporary superstar, is. Express his memory related to smell.

However, if one day Harry lives in your house by accident, who knows if this will happen? Never let him feed your cat, because he said: "I have been accompanied by cats every time I grew up, every time When I feed them, the taste of cat food makes me unbearable. "

It can be said that his cooperation with Alexandro Michele is not a pretense, and their creative lines coincide. "Alexandro is a free thinker, and his way of working is very enlightening. If he wants to do something, he will do it. It's that simple. It's impressive, especially for a big When working at a brand. This is great when you have the opportunity to participate in the work of a recognized master. He doesn't ask about class, age, or business. He does everything for everyone, everyone, I I think that any kind of art should be like that. "He talked about childhood again (yes, childhood seems to be yesterday in his eyes)": I like 'scent memory', I like its freshness, and it can be based on the user The different and changing characteristics. This perfume reminds me of the summer of childhood. Sitting with friends by the lake, where I grew up, smelling the fragrance of wild flowers ... "Today this Times exactly reflect the poem of Henri Michaux: "Night is not like daylight, it has great flexibility." That is to say, Michele's method is very suitable, even with this kind of abandoning the rules The approach is closely related. "Boundaries are gradually falling, whether in fashion, music festivals, film and television, or the art world ... I don't think people are still looking for differences in this category. Even if there is still a gender distinction in the world, they The line between them is also the subject of creation. People no longer need to be this or that person. I think that people are simply trying to get better. In fashion and other fields, these standards are not as strict as before, which brings Great freedom, exciting. "

"Although Michelle doesn't necessarily ask for my opinion, we will show some ideas to each other. It is cool to get opinions from people who are not necessarily in the same field as you, and you respect his work and taste "We noticed a new motivation, perhaps a new way of writing, which came from taking control of our careers. In short, when a seductive carefree and cruelly erodes talent, a serious mentality that a person shows ": writing songs is surfing. You can train as much as you can, and the waves Sometimes it doesn't. But we still need training to get better. It's impossible to sit down one day and think about writing the best song of my life. It takes a lot of effort. "

He worked in a bakery ten years ago, but now he has become the company's bet, the star and the focus of media attention. Whether out of fantasy or fact, he ca n’t help asking such a young man. How to get rid of this cobweb of public opinion. "Becoming famous is something I'm still learning and experiencing. I learn how to filter out what I like and dislike, pick out what can be integrated into the song, and what I don't want to share. Find a balance. Sometimes wondering how people think about this or that lyrics ... it means accepting to show off their fragile side, but at the same time, it makes the whole adventure exciting The reason. "He said.

Indeed, when he revealed some clues about the upcoming album, the excitement was obvious, hoping that he could express "a sense of freedom". This feeling is not completely new to some hot idols, especially some like "Elvis Presley, Mick Jagger, Stevie Niks, Janis Joplin Joplin) and Prince ". In contrast to this crowd is Nick Drake, whom he likes to listen to recently. The outstanding singer's music is full and well-crafted, giving people a joy. "When I look at them, I don't know what it is, but it's there. It's a strange thing. They transcend the limits. When it comes to songwriting, McCartney has always had a huge impact on me. I was lucky Some of them are strong, and in my eyes, they have always been awesome. "

He arrived in a special car (with a driver, a small freezer and dark windows), and instead walked to the corner bar for a beer, and the number of people accompanying him decreased.

Looking at the back of this millennial superstar, we think again of the teenager wearing an exaggerated cardigan, dreaming of standing out in the TV singer competition. Today, behind him is a gentle fragrance of wildflowers and Sunday lunch.

[bungostraydoggos]

How about some imagines of Chuuya, Atsushi, and Tanizaki with an s/o is scared of thunder and lightning. I hate it so much scares me. Thank you so much!!!

Nakahara Chuuya

The Port Mafia headquarters was as dark and dim as usual. Chuuya’s office was located at the second top floor that’s just below Mori Ougai’s. It was another boring day of filing documents and signing papers but luckily for the mafia executive, his significant other was with him and so his feeling of boredom slightly lessened. Chuuya’s significant other walks around his room, admiring and looking at the fancy intricacies of the office design and furniture. They go over to the tall bookshelves first and scan through the various, interesting collections. To their surprise, there were so many collections and volumes of poems and most of them were about Dadaism. It’s strange to them that they could never imagine Chuuya owning and reading these kinds of complex topics. As they look at Chuuya’s books, Chuuya himself takes note of his significant other. He would get distracted here and there just to check up on them and a part of him feels bad because he was just working while they were waiting for him to finish. Although he did offer tea and cookies, they politely declined, saying that they weren’t really hungry nor thirsty. Chuuya takes a sigh and looks out the window. His office was spacious enough to have tall paneled windows stretching across the room. Chuuya immerses himself into the Yokohama night scenery. Soon, he took notice of dark cumulus clouds forming ominously. “It looks like a storm is about to come...” Chuuya’s partner’s fingers came to a sudden halt as they tried to reach out for a book. They swallowed the lump in their throat before resuming back to what they were doing.  “Really? I hope not.” Without much of a thought, Chuuya went back to work and filled about another ten papers or so. He wrote down notes and reminders of his schedule for the week. As he began to finish up his last remaining work, the sounds of thunder began to clap sixfold and unbeknownst to Chuuya, his significant other crouched down from their spot with their hands covering their ears. Chuuya stands up from his seat and immediately goes over to his shaken companion. There was something wrong with them, and judging by the timing of their sudden fear matching up with the sounds of thunder, he figured it out.  “So you’re afraid of thunder?” Their body shook in response. For Chuuya, he wasn’t afraid of something like this at all since the only thing he’s most afraid of in this damned world is himself, but he needed to do something in order to comfort his partner. Right then and there, he thought of a great idea. Chuuya walks on over to his record player and pulls out a dark red vinyl. He smirks in satisfaction and places the vinyl onto the player. Within seconds, hard rock began to play and its loud guitar riffs and synth melody reverberated throughout the room. Chuuya taps his feet and nods his head whilst his significant other looks up at him in awestruck.  “This song... what is this?” Chuuya slightly blushes thinking it’s a little embarrassing to say.  “Well, it’s by a band called GRANRODEO...” The lyrics cued and before they knew it, their attention completely shifted away from the weather to the music, and their fear was zapped away thanks to Chuuya’s brilliant distraction. The couple queued many songs afterwards and with that, time passed by that felt like hours and sooner or later, the treacherous thunder storm faded away as if it never happened.

Nakajima Atsushi

Although the weather forecast did mention the chance of rain, the two Armed Detective agents didn’t expect such a heavy rainfall instead. The couple were outside near the bay harbor working on a crime scene that they were assigned by Kunikida. The policemen and women were interviewing a few witnesses while the forensics team investigate and take pictures of the dead victim. Atsushi and his significant other waits for them to finish before collecting the police workers’ information on the case. Even though they are already soaked wet, the couple takes cover under a nearby warehouse. With Atsushi’s sharp ears of a tiger, he could feel that there’s going to be a storm coming any minute now.  “This is such a bad day to work under this weather, huh?” The were-tiger notices his unresponsive significant other. They were crouched beside him, huddling their legs to their chest as their head hid between them. Atsushi wonders if they’re sick, and he immediately asks, “are you okay?” They answered him back, but it was mumbly. It wasn’t before long until the thunders came down. The booming sound echoed throughout the warehouse and the sudden lightning shock made them shudder. Atsushi looks at the with a concerned expression and realizes that they were afraid of thunder. Atsushi tries to think of ways to make them feel better, but fails. It was a little difficult since they were at work and he can’t leave to any other secluded places. Even though there was no better solution, he could only think of doing one thing and hopes that this can help lessen their fear just a little bit. Atsushi steps in front of them and kneels down at their level. He activates his beast beneath the moonlight and transformed his hands into paws. His then presses his soft black paws against his significant other’s ears. The sudden feeling made them jitter, and they look at Atsushi with bewildered eyes. His big paws incredibly muffled the sound of thunder, and Atsushi looks into their eyes with such kindness and gentleness.  “It isn’t much, but it’s the least I can do.” They must admit, this was a bad time for them to be so cowardly under the stupid sound of thunder especially at work. It’s only the sound of thunder yet they were so afraid. Their insecurity crept a little, thinking that they must look so weak to Atsushi, but they know that he doesn’t think like that at all since he himself believes he’s the weakest. The considerate thought made them smile, and they get closer to Atsushi as they embrace his warmth.  “Thank you. If you let me stay like this just until the storm’s over then...” Their voice cooed like a dove’s whisper, and Atsushi smiles at their now relaxed expression. He promises them that he’ll be by their side watching and protecting over them until the storm goes away. 

Tanizaki Junichirou 

It was a gloomy Sunday in amidst the summer season. Although there should be bright sunshine and rays of light pouring through the day, there was a different kind of light that filled the sky. Lightning bolts danced like a forbidden ritual around the black sky. Tanizaki looks up from the magazine he was reading and notices the terrible weather condition. “Looks like it’s gonna rain…” Tanizaki’s significant other was beside him reading a magazine as well. They came over to his apartment while Naomi was out. Just when they thought that they were going to have a good time together, the storm interrupted their mood. In truth, they haven’t told Tanizaki of their fear of thunder storms because they thought it was lame. They can only hope that the storm will pass on quickly and that they won’t cower in fear in embarrassment. Tanizaki gets up from his seat and offers his partner some drinks. As he went to the kitchen to retrieve two bottles of green tea, the sound of thunder shook the room like an earthquake. It was so loud, he felt vibrations crawling under his skin. What a loud thunder, he thought to himself, but with an immediate shrug, Tanizaki goes back to his room to where his significant other was waiting for him. When he entered, he was surprised to witness his partner curl into a ball under the futon like a scared little squirrel. Tanizaki was taken aback for a moment. Could they be afraid of thunder? He wonders as he walks over to their side and sits beside them. “I got your drink…” They snatched the bottle of tea out of Tanizaki’s hand under the thick blanket. They looked like a hermit crab. “Are you perhaps afraid of thunder?" They retorted, “n-no…” Tanizaki chuckles at their dishonesty, “liar.” The young man recalls his distant memory of when his little sister was once afraid of thunder. What did he do to comfort Naomi back then? As Tanizaki smiles, he tells his significant other. “Pull out your hand.” After being a little hesitant, they gave out their hand under the blanket as Tanizaki holds it. His cool hands from holding cold bottles of tea gave them a sense of calmness. Tanizaki uses his thumb to caress the back of their hand and soon after, he began to hum a tune that sounded like a nursery song. He must’ve done this before with Naomi, they thought, but Tanizaki’s significant other smiles at his thoughtfulness for trying to make them feel better. In his own way, he was comforting them and easing their fear of a silly little thunder. The couple continued to hold hands as Tanizaki’s soft humming echoed between them in which that seemed louder than the storm. The warmth of being under the futon with Tanizaki’s cool hands and his gentle humming strung the chords of their frazzled, melted heart. 

[justthishumanheart]

The desire of monks and mystics is not unlike that of artists: to perceive the extraordinary within the ordinary by changing not the world but the eyes that look… To form the intention of new awareness is already to transform and be transformed.

Jane Hirshfield, Ten Windows: How Great Poems Transform the World

[picsofsannyas]

BELOVED OSHO,WHAT ARE THE QUALITIES OF A MATURE PERSON?

The qualities of a mature person are very strange.

First, he is not a person. He is no more a self. He has a presence, but he is not a person.

Second, he is more like a child -- simple and innocent.

That's why I said the qualities of a mature person are very strange, because maturity gives a sense as if he has experienced, as if he is aged, old. Physically he may be old, but spiritually he is an innocent child. His maturity is not just experience gained through life. Then he will not be a child, and then he will not be a presence; he will be an experienced person -- knowledgeable but not mature.

Maturity has nothing to do with your life experiences. It has something to do with your inward journey, experiences of the inner.

The more he goes deeper into himself, the more mature he is. When he has reached the very center of his being, he is perfectly mature. But at that moment the person disappears, only presence remains... The self disappears, only silence remains.

Knowledge disappears, only innocence remains.

To me, maturity is another name for realization: you have come to the fulfillment of your potential, it has become actual. The seed has come on a long journey, and has blossomed.

Maturity has a fragrance. It gives a tremendous beauty to the individual. It gives intelligence, the sharpest possible intelligence. It makes him nothing but love. His action is love, his inaction is love; his life is love, his death is love. He is just a flower of love.

The West has definitions of maturity which are very childish. The West means by maturity that you are no longer innocent, that you have ripened through life experiences, that you cannot be cheated easily, that you cannot be exploited, that you have within you something like a solid rock -- a protection, a security. This definition is very ordinary, very worldly. Yes, in the world you will find mature people of this type. But the way I see maturity is totally different, diametrically opposite to this definition. The maturity will not make you a rock; it will make you so vulnerable, so soft, so simple.

I remember... a thief entered a master's hut. It was a full-moon night, and by mistake he had entered; otherwise, what can you find in a master's house? The thief was looking, and was amazed that there was nothing. And then suddenly he saw a man who was coming with a candle in his hand.

The man said, "What are you looking for in the dark? Why did you not wake me up? I was just sleeping near the front door, and I could have showed you the whole house." And the man looked so simple and so innocent, as if he could not conceive that anybody could be a thief.

Before his simplicity and innocence, the thief said, "Perhaps you do not know that I am a thief."

The master said, "That doesn't matter, one has to be someone. The point is that I have been in the house for thirty years and I have not found anything, so let us search together! And if we can find something, we can be partners. I have not found anything in this house -- it is just empty."

The thief was a little afraid -- the man seems to be strange. Either he is mad or... who knows what kind of man he is? He wanted to escape, because he had brought things from two other houses that he had left outside the house.

The master had only one blanket -- that was all that he had -- and it was a cold night, so he told that thief, "Don't go this way, don't insult me this way; otherwise I will never be able to forgive myself, that a poor man came to my house in the middle of the night and had to go empty-handed. Just take this blanket. And it will be good -- outside it is so cold. I am inside the house; it is warmer here."

He covered the thief with his blanket. The thief was just losing his mind! He said, "What are you doing? I am a thief!"

The master said, "That does not matter. In this world everybody has to be somebody, has to do something. You may be stealing; that doesn't matter, a profession is a profession. Just do it well, with all my blessings. Do it perfectly, don't be caught; otherwise you will be in trouble."

The thief said, "You are strange. You are naked and you don't have anything!" The master said, "Don't be worried, because I am coming with you! Only the blanket was keeping me in this house; otherwise in this house there is nothing -- and the blanket I have given to you. I am coming with you -- we will live together. And you seem to have many things; it is a good partnership. I have given my all to you. You can give me a little bit -- that will be right."

The thief could not believe it. He just wanted to escape from that place and from that man. He said, "No, I cannot take you with me. I have my wife, I have my children, and my neighbors, what will they say? -- `You have brought a naked man!'"

He said, "That's right. I will not put you in any embarrassing situation. So you can go, I will remain in this house." And as the thief was going, the master shouted, "Hey! Come back!" The thief had never heard such a strong voice; it went just like a knife. He had to come back. The master said, "Learn some ways of courtesy. I have given you the blanket and you have not even thanked me. So first, thank me -- it will help you a long way. Secondly, going out -- you opened the door when you came in -- close the door! Can't you see the night is so cold, and can't you see that I have given you the blanket and I am naked? Your being a thief is okay, but as far as manners are concerned, I am a difficult man. I cannot tolerate this kind of behavior. Say thank you!"

The thief had to say, "Thank you, sir," and he closed the door and escaped. He could not believe what had happened! He could not sleep the whole night. Again and again he remembered... he had never heard such a strong voice, such power. And the man had nothing!

He enquired the next day and he found out that this was a great master. He had not done well -- it was absolutely ugly to go to that poor man; he had nothing. But he was a great master.

The thief said, "That I can understand myself -- that he is a very strange kind of man. In my whole life I have been coming in contact with different kinds of people, from the poorest to the richest, but never... even remembering him, a shivering goes through my body.

"When he called me back I could not run away. I was absolutely free, I could have taken the things and run away, but I could not. There was something in his voice that pulled me back."

After a few months the thief was caught, and in the court the magistrate asked him, "Can you name a person who knows you in this vicinity?"

He said, "Yes, one person knows me" -- and he named the master. The magistrate said, "That's enough -- call the master. His testimony is worth that of ten thousand people. What he says about you will be enough to give judgment."

The magistrate asked the master, "Do you know this man?"

He said, "Know him? We are partners. He is my friend. He even visited me one night in the middle of the night. It was so cold that I gave him my blanket. He is using it, you can see. That blanket is famous all over the country; everybody knows it is mine."

The magistrate said, "He is your friend? And does he steal?"

The master said, "Never! He can never steal. He is such a gentleman that when I gave him the blanket he said to me, `Thank you, sir.' When he went out of the house, he silently closed the doors. He is a very polite, nice fellow."

The magistrate said, "If you say so, then all the testimonies of the witnesses who have said that he is a thief are cancelled. He is freed." The master went out and the thief followed him.

The master said, "What are you doing? Why are you coming with me?"

He said, "Now I can never leave you. You have called me your friend, you have called me your partner. Nobody has ever given me any respect. You are the first person who has said that I am a gentleman, a nice person. I am going to sit at your feet and learn how to be like you. From where have you got this maturity, this power, this strength, this seeing of things in a totally different way?"

The master said, "Do you know that night how bad I felt? You had gone; it was so cold. Without a blanket sleep was not possible. I was just sitting by the window seeing the full moon, and I wrote a poem: `If I was rich enough I would have given this perfect moon to that poor fellow, who had come in the dark to search for something in a poor man's house. I would have given the moon if I had been rich enough, but I am poor myself.' I will show you the poem, come with me.

"I wept that night, that thieves should learn a few things. At least they should inform a day or two ahead when they come to a man like me, so we can arrange something, so they don't have to go empty-handed.

"And it is good that you remembered me in the court; otherwise those fellows are dangerous, they may have mistreated you. I offered that very night to come with you and be partners with you, but you refused. Now you want... There is no problem, you can come. Whatever I have I will share with you. But it is not material: it is something invisible."

The thief said, "That I can feel -- it is something invisible. But you have saved my life, and now it is yours. Make whatever you want to make of it. I have been simply wasting it. Seeing you, looking in your eyes, one thing is certain -- that you can transform me. I have fallen in love from that very night."

Maturity to me is a spiritual phenomenon.

[twelvegrimmyplace]

Tag Game

Rules: Tag ten mutuals you want to know better.

Thank you my new pal @fapfapfashion 💙

Name: Liz

Star sign: capricorn

Height: 5′9″ (or 175cm for the rest of the world :) )

Put your iTunes (or Spotify) on shuffle. What are the first 4 songs that popped up?  1. Boy Who Cried Thunder - Daniel Wilson  2. Transform - Daniel Caesar   3. Mad - Solange   4. Call Me - Popcaan

Ever had a poem or song written about you? lol I’m not the kind of girl people write songs about 

When was the last time you played guitar? Never? I’m sure ive picked one up in my life but I def can’t play!

Who is your celebrity crush? im a hoe i have several but andy samberg is my longest running/forever true celeb luv

What’s a sound you hate + a sound you love? I think I’m going to go with something that’s trendy in music the past few years that I absolutely hate: a ticking clock. ITS SO ANNOYING. See: every shitty Zedd song every recorded, bieb’s what do u mean. I don’t like it irl either but especially not in music when it doesn’t even make sense for it to be there!!

I love the sound of rain outside of an open window (basic I know but it’s nice)

Do you believe in ghosts? No. 

How about aliens? Yes I believe in Harry Styles. (I believe it’s likely there’s other forms of life out there but not like you know the traditional alien in a sci fi movie kind of thing)

Do you drive? i love driving so much. I do it every day :) 

What was the last book you read? David Sedaris’ new book, Calypso.

Do you like the smell of gasoline? Oh yeah it’s great 

What’s the worst injury you’ve ever had? I broke my ankles a million times when I played basketball in my youth. Maybe the time I stretched my achilles tendon bc it still acts up 15 years later! 

Do you have any obsessions right now? I’m v into sushi atm (I mean i’ve always liked it but i’ve been wanting it for every other meal lately) I’m blaming it on terrace house. Also DONT JUDGE ME bc this is weird probably but I recently go into watching compilations of people getting their backs cracked by a chiropractor? lmao idk why but it’s very satisfying. I wouldn’t call it an obsession tho just a weirdo internet interest.

Do you tend to hold grudges against people who have done you wrong? Hmm...yes and no? I don’t like conflict and I’m very future oriented naturally so I don’t like to live in the past or hold onto active grudges for too long. It just makes me feel bad inside so I’ll forgive and move on usually. However, if I’m like rly rly hurt by someone or the try me one too many times I’ll just drop them and never acknowledge their existence again.

In a relationship?

tragically single what else is new

I’m not sure who’s done this yet I haven’t seen too many on my dash soooo @winemomjade @ursilverspring @nivks @clipsandstuff @hopelessly-harryless

[whisperthatruns]

A joke's punch line, like a poem's meaning, is not in its words, but in what we make of them---and they of us. [...] The performing arts---which include comedy, poetry, music, dance, and magic, as well as theater---ask of us not only the theater's well-known suspension of disbelief, but also suspension of foreknowledge. All partake of something that lies at the core of ritual: the reenactment of and entrance into a mystery that can be touched and entered but not possessed.

Jane Hirshfield, from “Poetry and the Constellation of Surprise,” Ten Windows: How Great Poems Transform the World (Alfred A. Knopf, 2015)

[nemfrog]

This afternoon I got on a bus and opened the book I had just picked up from the library. I had read a few lines, no more, when a man realized he knew a woman sitting near me.

He asked about her dog. He had a loud voice, so I gave up reading. Charlie's old, she said. Doctor put him on thyroid pills. The man said he once had a poodle that would run away on purpose.

This reminded the woman of something, which I wrote down right after she said it:

I had a cat Moved in with the people downstairs Liked their food better

A haiku! Seventeen syllables! A beautiful haiku. When you get on a bus, you never know what you're going to encounter.

Until their talking made me stop, I had been reading Ten Windows, How Great Poems Transform the World by Jane Hirshfield. Specifically I had been reading her chapter on haiku.

A Steinberg cat.

[kitchen-light]

The word "creative" shares its etymology with the word "creature", and carries a similar sense of breathing aliveness, of an active, fine-grained, and multicellular making.

Jane Hirshfield, from her essays “Ten Windows How Great Poems Transform the World”

[thefoolofdelphi]

cutting a tree, seeing the sawn trunk it grew from: tonight’s moon [Bashō,  tr. by Jane Hirshfield and Mariko Aratani]

[...]

In Japanese poetry, allusion to the moon refers, first, always, to the moon itself, clear or cloud-scuffed in the night sky. But the image holds, almost always, some additional meaning---not infrequently, a Buddhist reference to awakened understanding. With this in mind, various readings of “cutting a tree” begin to emerge. It can be understood as a glimpse of enlightenment---an opening of consciousness in this case precipitated by the ordinary act of felling a tree. It can be read as bitter: the moon is as opaque to the mind as a tree stump. It can be read as comic: the poet, having had no time to look up, finds the moon right under his eyes. It can be read as luminously descriptive: the yellow color of a rising moon recognized as exactly the color of fresh-cut pine. It can be taken as describing the experience that came from sawing down a tree, as describing the moon, or as offering a small Buddhist parable about long effort leading to sudden awakening. It may be that Bashō intended all these meanings. Equally, it could be that he had no intention in mind at all, and the juxtaposition of moon and tree trunk simply arose, amid the scent of fresh sawdust.

Jane Hirshfield, from “Seeing through Words: An Introduction to Bashō, Haiku, and the Suppleness of Image,” Ten Windows: How Great Poems Transform the World (Alfred A. Knopf, 2015)