Brussels

so there's this man
sitting next to me
on the bus
talking to his terrier
in French.

welcome to brussels.

amsterdam

the wonder is weatherful

we are defenders
put the needle on
lay back
stare at the wall
with closed eyes.

Sagarmatha looms over all
her minions sprawled and giant
strained hands through bed sheets
crawling towards the ceiling
the sky
the endless


tempted
temptress
conquers her foe
we try to claim them
with names and measurements
foolish fucks

the dharma wafting
up and circling
spiritual energy karma reincarnating endlessly waiting climbing encircling
sagarmatha you rule
over them all unassuming
drawn there
died there
left there.

even the song could make me believe
i've been in love with you for years

it floats into my ear and sleeps
and intoxicates me.

small engine little feet sew
the dots on your forehead swim circles
take a stop take a track
your jive; your restless child

open the door let the bees in
we need some air in here darling
i'll cradle i will sing
your intentions never met

in the night walk we walked we talked
here in this moment we stared
the breath the bare breath
and love overtook us

break the bottle with wine on the floor
we tiptoe and whisper
red with blood our hands go white
transparent we transcend
we intertwine.

Kopan Monastery

topographic rice fields
pigeon feathers
sky a milky glare
crimson and saffron
effervescent green
ripening October
pujas and mantras
ever increasing karma
every changing mind
prayer flags and mossy bricks
monks on facebook
ever loyal and protective
monastery mut
a city still being built
ancient and modern
rusted, stained, painted
wall-less interior external
sleeping feet, half lotus
the reincarnation search
a relic, a rosary, a right
the hawk is on the thermals
the library is not open
the laundry is always red
butterfly fight, cockroach creak, spider's spindle
these sentient beings thus
the mandala foretold these
white scarfs we must fold
come with good merit
woven from broken fingers &
hang nails
marigolds and mallas and
spotted pigeons and
hooting monkeys and
whooping monklets and
golden roofs and
fifty-three days.


dark brown, yellow, and green.