i

i associate

i associate
with those whose presence makes a
better man of me

freed of all constraint 
i see this endless rising 
circularity

the focus i bring 
to this practice is the key 
to every practice

the guns fall silent 
and i can see a girl with 
laughter in her eyes

the buddha i am 
is not the same buddha as 
the buddha in me

my body serves me 
to the exact extent that 
i serve my body

i traded these chains 
for a walking stick and a 
pocket full of sand

my donkey army 
will defeat lions because 
i am no donkey

if i want to raise 
a new life from old ashes 
i must burn this one

i hope to win but 
hope is not a strategy 
and strategy wins