Integration

8/7/2023 Two weeks on the water requires a mental/physical sea legs reset

Yesterday, back in our homeport — blurry — exhausted

Despite appearances — it takes a few days to get off the boat

DON’T GIVE UP THE SHIP

A friend sent out an R.L. Burnside piece — it really helps one ground in the mud

Come Grace, come
Con/Jur/d, 8/7/2023

Sitting early in the morning, on a boat
spine swaying to adjust for waves, rocking
easier to rock into silence, what a poor 
student we are, to need such circumstances
for such a simple practice, watching fish jumping
replicating, the miracle of the Golden Carp

Leaping!

through the wooden hoop floating on the big
big ocean, again and again. Was it a Walleye?
A Bass? 10 pounds at least, how huge it was

Shhhhhh!

Where did it go? Where did it come from?
Without labels, the buzz in our ears is still
hard not to swat. We know of some who can
do it. Silly, silly, drop those comparisons, and 
return to waves and water. When we hear

Come Grace, come! Back on the boat!

And despite the warnings, of King Wu’s 
disquiet, learned from Wilhelm / Baynes 
we were raised in  a culture stinking
of manger manure and blood on wood
three days old, we still appreciate
grace, stripped of blessing, reduced
to excellence, a prayer appropriate
for these times, as long as one doesn’t
confuse the direction it flows from within
not from without…

Donng!

Again, we missed it, at least we brought back
a little prayer, a little affirmation, a big, big
wish, depending on your inclination

Come Grace, come!

Not necessarily my best effort and I’d like to say more but — currently — everything is swaying

Much love,

Con/Jur/d, 8/7/2023