2019
A Greenstreete Rookie
In bed early, sleeping light
Wake up fuzzy, stomach tight
Bath and breakfast, packing clothes
Set out in a rush - how time goes.
The journey's quiet, the roads are clear
The mind is active with mounting fear
Life's been tough, nerves are frayed
Will i survive the coming days?
Strangers gather side by side
The teacher looks at pensive eyes
Rooms assigned, off we trek
Walking mindfully, step by step.
Get up early to greet the morn
Prepare to practice, yawn by yawn
After walking, breakfast's served
Eating gratefully - praise deserved.
Assigned to groups, tools in hand
The Shrine Hall forming upon the land
Lunch and tea breaks put behind
Extended practice to settle the mind.
The days pass by, the tensions ease
The body is strengthened - there's pain in the knees!
Strangers are friends and harmony rings
The surroundings are peaceful - full of joyful things.
The practice develops, the fruits are borne
The visit cherished like a sun-filled dawn
Happiness reigns, there's a period of bliss
The mind becomes reflective of the surroundings it will miss.
The last day is upon us - we're busy but sad
Cleaning our rooms, before repacking our bags
We say our goodbyes before going separate ways
Oh! how worthwhile, those Greenstreete days.
At 30/8/93
Sometimes poems can be interesting in terms of the information they omit to convey...
In this particular case, information such as...
The small hut at the top of the hill, on the edge of some pine trees - and of the small but plucky/trusting nightly rafter-roosting birdie therein...
My, seemingly unavoidably public, daily Tai Chi practises...
My wavering Tuesday - and how i chose to resolve it...
The seemingly troublesome slab of cheese...
The evening Buddhist teachings that i excused myself from - and how i was later rather gently and skilfully 'cured' of such a form of unintended aversion(???)...
The very enjoyable walking meditations - and the very grounding(???) imaginary colourful spiked shoes that i, on one occasion(???), wore...
The lovely London lady, and how she was rather amusingly invited to cook a Stroganoff for the meat eaters amongst us...
Rachel - and the warm glass of water she so generously provided for me...
And Grevil, the rather wonderful teacher - and his rather unexpected and unusual subtle exchange with me...
However, it did, hopefully, convey the rhythm of the train that could have rather prematurely taken me back home on said wavering Tuesday...