stopping the sun
whatever the monk had told us
I remember being upset
everything seemed hopeless
all my striving in vain
Sally, do you remember
you told me
“Hughie, you’re one of our stars”
well I do
that was a kindness
a few years later
in your garden
after your treatment
you had just told me
the cancer had spread
just before my tears
you stopped me saying
“but Hughie, everything
is absolutely
perfect!”
the sun stopped
in its track
Sally Masheder catches a feather on a fan at Tientong Si where Hung Chih was abbot and where Dogen got enlightened
HC: 2019