THE BUDDHA LEANS BACK
The Buddha leans back
and contemplates the dawn,
the way the streaks of pink
fingering the horizon
remind him of stalks of rhubarb
merging with a strawberry sun,
to set the daily fire.
The Buddha leans back
and contemplates rhubarb,
the pink stalks like long fingers
longing for the sweetness
of somebody’s mouth.
The Buddha leans back
and contemplates the wind
as it rustles through
the rhubarb leaves
and makes them wave
like fan dancers,
like prayer flags.
The Buddha leans forward
and begins the ceremony
of lowering the fork to the pie.
He contemplates the colors
which reprise the sunrise.
He raises the fork to his mouth
and wishes all beings could be
so lucky. He savors
the auspicious sweet.
Ellie Schoenfeld
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