A tree first brought me the idea of bodhicitta but I didn't get that word until 9 years later

I once planted a liriodendron tulipifera

that my grandmother brought to me as a sapling.

The deer ate it every year and it got mowed several times

but it still grew tall and straight,

until it was too big to be hurt by those sorts of things anymore.

I want my heart to grow like that,
tall and straight,
so it will no longer close
when it is eaten by loneliness,
jealousy, anger, envy.

The liriodendron tulipifera has beautiful glossy leaves --

like large, beckoning hands.
It has flowers like great bowls of nectar --

an offering to the birds and butterflies and bees.

I want my heart to open like that,
as if with large beckoning hands

that can offer great bowls of nectar to the world.

Your Beautiful Parched, Holy Mouth

A poet is someone

Who can pour light into a spoon,

Then raise it

To nourish

Your beautiful parched, holy mouth.

Hafiz (14th century, Persia) from I Heard God Laughing

The harp partially revealed

Gathering Forces

While I manifest a video recording device (so that I may better showcase my utter lack of talent) I amuse myself by contemplating what it takes to perform: ego forces, soul forces, life forces, and vodka forces.

Note: Please be advised that Le Sanglier has been working on soul/spiritual development for many years. The appearance of the word many in front of the word years indicates that her life forces, due to natural aging processes, may have fallen below the threshold required for performing. Perhaps she should have been working on her technique all those years and left her ego and soul to their own devices. There is no question that she ought to have let her ardor for playing Chopin on the piano cool, particularly in the light of his continued indifference toward her. She can recommend the vodka, though. It is excellent.