Shinto

crates | July 18, 2008

The inflictions continue:
Becoming
 
Once I was full of words and ideas bubbled forth and I
talked endlessly.
Gradually the words describing my inner panorama
became inadequate and trite
[...]

Taoism

crates | July 15, 2008

The infliction continues:
 
Perception of the Nature of Being
 
The veil twitched aside
Revealed the Tao,
Formless and
Without dimension
In the glistening
Drop of dew
Quivering on the blade of grass
And in the seething stars
Of the boundless Milky Way.
 
How can you explain the unexplainable? How can you put into words the ineffable? The [...]

A Question of Simple

crates | July 14, 2008

     The idea of simplicity in our lives seems to be growing in our awareness.  We find that in an increasingly complex existence, simplification has an immense appeal.  We seem to have too many things, and our lives become filled with clutter, both physically and mentally.  Sometimes we yearn for simpler times when the world [...]

Fujiwara Teika: another Japanese Poet

crates | July 13, 2008

  
  But first to inflict you with another of mine:

Endings
 
     Some endings stand out more than others.
Others are commonplace and fade from memory.
Some are known at the time…
like the last time I talked to my mother
Or when I last held my red-haired love…
 
Other endings aren’t known, but are
Only recognized as such after the event.
Like when I [...]

BASHO: Another Japanese Poet

crates | July 12, 2008

I thought that I might put some of my poems in some of my posts.  This is one:
Reflection
When you ponder the
Calendar of your days,
Do you recall the times
Of strife, of betrayal,
Of heartbreak?
Or…do you recall the
Quiet calm times filled
With beauty and tranquility?

Basho (Matsuo Kinsaku–ca. 1644-1694) was one of the most influential of the Japanese [...]

Texas on the Horizon and Lessons Lost

crates | July 10, 2008

I thought of you then
On the dock, the rough bench,
The breeze blowing your hair,
Watching the wheeling gulls 
 White in the sun,
Dreaming with half-closed eyes.     
   It is almost time for my annual trip to Texas.  I am making a list of all the things that I have to do before I go, and thinking of all [...]

STELLAR’S SEA COW: for whom the bell tolls continued…

crates | July 9, 2008

    Most people are familiar with the great manatees or dugongs that frequent both fresh and salt waters of the world.  Many  in the United States have seen photos of the West Indian Manatee (Trichechus manatus) found in Florida  and elsewhere and know these large herbivorous mammals as gentle giants whose numbers and future are [...]

RYOKAN…THE BELOVED FOOL

crates | July 8, 2008

One of my most beloved poets is Ryokan, born in 1757 in Echigo, Japan.  He became a Zen monk and led a life Christ-like in its gentleness and concern for humanity.  This man fills my heart, he is a marvel…I include only a few of his poems here.
 
“When the moon shines
Clean and clear
Let me enjoy a plum-branch
In [...]

Water…You Want It Pure? Then Buy A Jug of Cheap Distilled…

crates | July 2, 2008

Consider this unlikely scenario:
“Hey Joe, I have a fantastic idea!”
“What’s that Ralph?”
“It’s a sure money-maker, Joe.  We can take tap water, filter it, bottle it and sell it for a price several times higher than soda pop!”
“You’re nuts, Ralph!  People aren’t that crazy!  Count me out.”
     Ralph is now a multimillionaire and Joe is still [...]

"Miscellaneous Information"

FOR A TABLE OF CONTENTS ARRANGED BY SUBJECT CATEGORY, CLICK ON THE SITE MAP LINK. Much of this blog is a way for me to learn more about things that interest me and then share them with others. It is also presented from my own perspective and slant which is, of course, quite idiosyncratic. Feel free to leave comments. :)


About the author

crates

Just an ordinary guy who loves: everything biological, photography, science fiction (SF), books, new ideas, interesting people, life in all its aspects. Ok, you can wake up now...