Where Hides the Calm?
by Odin Roark

Such a world, this,
where chaos reigns supreme,
where war is somehow,
a visceral thrill far too many embrace.

Around us resides the common sense of insects,
fowl and fish,
even though common sense is not in their makeup.
they just know the inestimable reward of essential survival needs.

Yet man,
that ostensibly superior creature,
a sentient species capable of knowing better,
drives forward on primitive instinct,
rather than use the innate rational ability
so long developed for advanced evolution.

Alas…

Such goes forward,
we, the evolved beings that ignore reality,
play dumb to the destruction of our very environment
while fanaticizing over the giftwrap,
that colorful future,
we turned into a piñata ,
reduced to the scurry for candy
reward… for the moment.

Ah, the moment,
such a precarious element of time,
yet, for the reality of Zen-minded beings,
most of what there is.

Yet…

For the naysayer,
only that which exists beyond the moment,
means anything.

If only consciousness reigned,
so many more would have the familiar epiphany,
realizing how precious the connection some of us have
to the nature of things,
ground,
water,
air,
enabling creatures of lessor gift,
ironically depending at times on us for survival,
to watch as we war at home,
work,
Washington,
far off lands.

How freely we commit to play with the elusive ghost,
identified by some as escape,
by others as a defense of mind.

For those focused,
there will always be the MOMENT,
the instant when consciousness,
coupled with many more qualities of innate responsibility
make of life as the gift it is.

Hopefully,

Such thought will provide sound contemplation for many,
providing why living truthfully is important.

Still…

Maybe all there is,
until we accept ourselves,,
is that place where hides the calm.