December 29th, 2017

In the stillness by the empty window
I sit in formal meditation
Wearing my monk's surplice,
Navel and nose in alignment,
Ears parallel with shoulders.
Moonlight floods the room;
The rain stops,
But the eaves drip and drip.
Perfect this moment
In the vast emptiness,
My understanding deepens.

Ryokan (1758-1831)