Life Lines
Somewhere between time and place
where tears of parting
are dried by the joys of arriving
lies the magic line
A Christian in a Buddhist land
a Buddhist in a Christian land.
A student a teacher,
a teacher a student.
Hate defines love
and good makes evil clear.
Rich highlights poor,
poverty shines a light on gluttony,
Zero and one
are off and on a computer.
Black on white,
white on black,
two more opposites.
Bifurcation draws a line in the sand
which is the marker for the changes
that defines us.
We charge through life
and cross the line often
as growth makes us awkward.
Always forward
and always wavering across the line
as progress is defined by matched pairs.
The benevolent face worn yesterday
may be the frown of greed
the next.
For we all seek the beauty of balance
made so difficult by
line- crossing vacillations.
Seek the learned one
for old knowledge
of finding balance.
The impossibly difficult
so easily described
few can accomplish.
Like spring-cleaning
clear goal
for the Augean Stable
Chant your mantra,
listen only to the soft babble
of the crystal brook.
Let it clear all else from your head
so the empty house can welcome
the you of your balanced image.
Each time you cross the magic line
that image will
guide you to the line of your home.
Doug Minnis
May 14, 2011