My Buddha Drinks Whiskey

[dr_con]

My Buddha Drinks Whiskey

My Buddha was never a God
only a human who drank
whiskey to excess
     and neverever had
a stable relationship

He couldn’t practice
what he preached
and always stared
past his navel to his
clay covered boots
thinking the deep
thoughts left when
smoking unfiltered 
       cigarettes

He’s a part time hustler full
time trickster with a brutal 
compassion for his
fellow Bodhisattvas saying
   softspoken and slow

   ‘That’s what you get’
The dharma of trusting a
Stranger lost fantastiques
are filled with warnings 
Big and sometimes Small
These regrets lead to pearls
of great value and some to
   nothing Nothing at all

Which to a God Is worth 
even more than anything 
      Anything at all
My Buddha blows smoke
In your face makes it hard
real hard to get close he’s
been known to throw shoes
when losing at pool and mess
with his words so their forms
lose their meanings

Off putting
And jagged
when losing at love

But when you put your Head
Near his basket and look 
really Look at the 
empty small bottles
the half burnt incense
Cigarettes browned
by booze a few pieces
of gum for when he doesn’t
feel like smoking
an 8 ball (not magic)
assortments of coins
some local some 
placeholders 
for tales of travels

        And ask sincerely
Why you gotta be that way?
He’ll let you know in his sure
Way ‘ Well I never was a God
just human
Like the original Sam
just reminding 
    like an unexpected delay
if it’s good enough
for the Gods
       it's gotta be good enough
for You.’
 

[dcmarti1]

"The dharma of trusting a
Stranger"

You make us think too much. In a GOOD way.

[eclipse]

Great work....thought provoking..

[Tinker]

Hi DC,  I think is now my new favorite of yours.  

~~Tink

[tonyv]

It's not disappointment, and it's not quite ennui. I think it's the sense one acquires over time, when he realizes and accepts that sometimes -- not always, just sometimes -- the simpler explanation is the one that controls.

I can think of times when older, wiser people told me why someone was behaving a certain way. I didn't believe them; it had to be for more profound reasons. Eventually, when it became clear that what I had been told was true, that there was no deep, dark secret as to why someone was doing something appalling, the realizations were not shocking and only aroused a sense of pity at how pathetic some people can be: he just wanted the money (or the job/career/whatever). Eyes open.

I loved this well constructed poem.

Tony

[badger11]

Marvellous J.

[dr_con]

TY all got chewed out (sort of) by my Zen Teacher when I shared but as a work of pure non-dharmic fiction I stand by it and it still makes me smile. Thanks all for your kind and insightful words.

 

J