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15 April 2020 | NPM Poetry Webslam

April 15, 2020 By Annis Cassells

Siddhartha Transformed                                                            
by Portia Choi
 
Siddhartha in lotus repose,
palms touching in mind and heart,
soles raised in gratitude.
He was breathing with his brother, the bodhi tree.
 
He inhaled morsels of wisdom, 
and exhaled the encumbrances
of his past – castle, wife, feasts –
memories evaporating like a mist.
 
He lived the rock years of self-denial and hunger-
only sitting and breathing: seldom eating or thinking.
With each breath, he emptied his mind of delusions;
breathing in sparks of Truth.
 
One breath then another breath, continuing for years and years.
 
In time,
Siddhartha’s orange garment covered a being of light.
Its energy oozing from all his pores
that flowed upward into a cosmic Oneness.
                                                                                     
His mind opened.
He became Buddha
to serve, to heal  and
free “all beings from suffering.” 
 

Portia Choi published a chapbook of her poems Sungsook, Korean War Poems. At Writers of Kern meetings, Choi met Helen Shanley and MaryLou Romagno who became good friends and mentors. Choi hosts First Friday Open Mic and publicizes National Poetry Month in April.  She administers www.kernpoetry.com.  Contact Choi ssportia@aol.com.

Filed Under: Poetry Tagged With: National Poetry Month, Poetry, WOK National Poetry Month WebSlam, Writers of Kern

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Anke Hodenpijl says

    April 15, 2020 at 9:20 am

    “He lived in the rock years” – a seed to reflect on. These are wisdom words. Thank you.

  2. Karen Sallee says

    April 15, 2020 at 11:06 am

    “He lived the rock years” is a phrase I appreciate as well. Five little words that set the image and tone of thought. Beautiful.

  3. CynB says

    April 16, 2020 at 3:32 pm

    I loved this!

  4. Portia Choi says

    April 17, 2020 at 5:17 pm

    Thank you.
    Poem was inspired by a painting of Siddhartha meditating.
    Portia

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