Author Archives: Songlines Pilgrim
‘Be grateful for whatever comes’
The Guest House This being human is a guest house. Every morning a new arrival. A joy, a depression, a meanness, some momentary awareness comes as an unexpected visitor. Welcome and entertain them all! Even if they are a crowd … Continue reading
Come On Down, or ‘All the Roots Grow Deeper When It’s Dry’
Some say that my teaching is nonsense. Others call it lofty but impractical. But to those who have looked inside themselves, this nonsense makes perfect sense. And to those who put it into practice, this loftiness has roots that go … Continue reading
When Death Comes
When Death Comes by Mary Oliver When death comes like the hungry bear in autumn; when death comes and takes all the bright coins from his purse to buy me, and snaps the purse shut; when death comes like the … Continue reading
‘Not Always What They Seem’
“It is an important and popular fact that things are not always what they seem. For instance, on the planet Earth, man had always assumed that he was more intelligent than dolphins because he had achieved so much – the … Continue reading
Champions of the Commonplace, or, “Call Your Mom and Tell Her You Love Her!”
The champions in our lives come in all shapes and sizes, and they’re often hanging out in places we’re not looking for them – in our homes, or even in our own families. I haven’t gone into it – in … Continue reading
Will Sing for Wontons
“I’ve made a small fortune busking in my days. A very small fortune.” – Spotted on a musicians’ online message board — Posted in roundabout response to the WordPress Daily Prompt: Fortune (https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/fortune-2/)
‘A Subtle Game of Equilibrium’: To Live and Die in Go
“Any game where the goal is to build territory has to be beautiful. There may be phases of combat, but they are only the means to an end, to allow your territory to survive. One of the most extraordinary aspects … Continue reading
‘For the good are always the merry’ – On the Luck of the Irish Fiddler
The Fiddler of Dooney by William Butler Yeats When I play on my fiddle in Dooney, Folk dance like a wave of the sea; My cousin is priest in Kilvarnet, My brother in Moharabuiee. I passed my brother and cousin: … Continue reading
Staying the night at Summit-Top Temple
INSCRIBED ON A WALL AT SUMMIT-TOP TEMPLE Staying the night at Summit-Top Temple, you can reach out and touch the stars. I venture no more than a low whisper, afraid I’ll wake the people of heaven. – Li Po (701-762), … Continue reading
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Tagged Chinese Poetry, Li Po, Not All Who Wander Are Lost, poetry, Quotes
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The Ubiquitous Burrito 