Winning entry from Linda Glaser

Buddha Holding a Bowl

Buddha

holds an empty bowl

patient

eager

for the soup of the day

steeped with insistent freshness

the fragrance of basil

wraps around

hands

air

nostrils

colorful squashes

and tomatoes

Buddha

    cradles the wonder

    of roots and stem

    and living dirt

    that gave birth

    to these treasures

    just picked this morning

while memory eyes hold

last night’s full honey dew moon

lighting itself on the wet naked lake

Buddha

    holds a new cup of life

    each day

    the possibility of now

    imbedded in every breath,

     and hope for a world

     where all people

     hold empty bowls

     for each other

Winning entry from Grace Anderson

 

sacred seed- new body, new mind

planted where womb & planets

merged outside of time

to the center of the universe synergized

stars mend our blended eyes

witnessing our first breath of earthly life

our roots growing ever deeply

an ancient & infinitely beautiful surprise

we age like the old weeping willow

always growing & reaching toward the same sky

but beyond the hard surface,

our helpless inner child still cries

we always hold this innocence

further than what guilt we claim in this life

love is free, & we are blessed to free our minds

let your own light shine,

and without searching, you will find

the integral place

where your honest perpetual

truth really lies.

it's the fire of our bounty

a celestial, eternal prize.

 Grace Anderson