Bodhisattva

Photo: Genie Nakano, “Bodhi”
At night
our little black dog
snuggles between us
lies on his back
and snores loudly

snip, brush, snip
around his furry face
Bodhi loves it all
tilts his head way back
crooning to the moon

Bodhisattva
means, Buddha in training...'
they say all good dogs
go to heaven
I hope to meet him there
Originally published in "Colorful Lives", 2016

Akiko Yosano #2

Akiko Yosano, 1847- 1948, Japanese feminist tanka poet.
Akiko is my favorite tanka poet. Her tanka were bold, sensuous and controversial. Here is my tanka in honor of Akiko and below it are examples of her tanka from the book "Tangled Hair." They were chosen randomly. The book is excellent and has 165 of her tanka, notes and her biography.

Akiko 
wrote 50 tanka a day
I wonder
if she smoked 
and drank red wine

26
Softly I pushed open
That door
We call a mystery,
These full breasts
Held in both my hands

32
After my bath
At the hot spring,
These clothes
As rough to my skin
As the world

46
In love
And frail as the stem
Of this summer flower--
Yet will I bloom
Deep red under a dazzling sun!

107
Inside the coffin
Of my beautiful
Friend,
The flowers
A riot of colors

Loving Kindness Meditation

Photo: Genie Nakano, 2.20.20, “Gohonzon”, My mother and father’s photos are in the Gohonzon.

This is the Buddhist Loving Kindness Mantra we recite at our temple. Whenever need be I recite it to myself outloud or silently to myself. It works…..

Loving Kindness Mantra…..

May I be well, happy and free from suffering
May no harm come to me, may I be safe
May I have the courage, wisdom and determination
to meet and overcome inevitable problems and tragedies in life
May I be loving and kind.
IBMC

Mantra for Mom and Dad

Father and Mother
crescent moon smiles
no more fighting
in another phase
enlightened

May I be well, 
happy, peaceful
may I be free from 
harm and suffering
may I always love
Genie Nakano