Here are four poems of Kyoto poetaster and gadfly shakuhachi Master, Preston Louis Houser, selected by a former writer in Kyoto, Fil Lewitt:
LAMENT
air and earth the academy
fire and water the gurus
ether and gravity the lessons
authentic education
for saintly and stupid alikemountain or pretense
come off it
amounts to the same thing
get moving
* * * * *
Keeping Close to the Horizon
Blind in one eye
Deaf in one ear
Counting the rhythm of far and nearLame in one leg
and left to hop
Close up shop
And learn to beg
* * * * *
“Corrosive Causalities”
A way to look upon the world
no objects no desiresHow to map the gaps in the sky
no doubt no darkLearning how not to fall then falling for it
no words no wonderEpidermal demarcation destroyed
no sex no fearEven self confidence is a “con”
no rejection no ignoranceExchanging one cage for another
no vows no barsI only know where I am when I’m lost
no here no way
* * * * *
“blah blah blah”
Meanwhile life goes on…No cosmetics to camophlage
no beard to brook
the scorn the blissInanities all
* * * * *
animal mist moving
through the material world
manifest as music
thus thou art
* * * * *
And here’s an extra one by former Kyoto poet (33 years), now living in Bangkok: Fil Lewitt:
What’s the Matter?
toe in the water
inch of life
what do you get?
lots of strife
most of what you do,
completely unintended
the problem is,
can’t be amended
no matter what you try
there’s often no alternative
sometimes things are crummy,
sometimes they’re superlative
when all is said & done,
you’re gone and simply one
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