Poetry by Margaret Chula

                           Ensõ:
​
Imperfect Zen circle, this broad brushstroke
lush tongue of wetness, not quite touching
from beginning to end, needing
to be completed by the viewer’s eye.

The master’s waka poem ripples
down the border of a moldering scroll
with faded ink scratches of bird claws.
A nightingale warbles from deep
within the plum blossoms.

The black-robed monk wields 
his horsetail brush like a broom.
Ink pools beneath his bare feet
to form the hieroglyph ensõ,
a darkness so immense
that he can step inside,
fill it like a cave.





​
ensõ: in Zen, a circle symbolizing enlightenment, the universe, and the void

                  What We Hold

               Even a hole holds itself,
               hard-packed dirt rounded 
               into a funnel. Empty, 
               it opens to the light.

               Nests cradle eggs, protecting 
               chicks until they are ready to peck 
               out of their opaque heaven. 

               Lovers clutch in a tight embrace
               to feel the edges of themselves
               as they merge and part
               and become self-contained.

     When do we hold on and when do we release?

               When a fist opens, anger disappears.
               Hands return to pockets of clinging lint.
               A feather released from its wing
               discovers its own direction.

               Incense burns best when the lid 
               cracks open and the fragrance 
               of sandalwood is allowed to escape 
               through the ribs of the jade dragon.

               Even the Buddhist circle ensō,
               the universe and the void,
               is left open at the end
               of the brushstroke
               letting everything in
               or out.
​

Art by Linda Gould

Margaret Chula has published twelve collections of poetry including, most recently, Perigee Moon. Her first haiku collection, Grinding my ink, received a Haiku Society of America book award and One Leaf Detaches, a Touchstone Award. She has been featured speaker and international workshop leader, as well as serving as president of the Tanka Society of America and as Poet Laureate for Friends of Chamber Music. Living in Kyoto for twelve years, Maggie now makes her home in Portland, Oregon, where she hikes, gardens, and creates flower arrangements for every room of the house. Visit her at: www.margaretchula.com

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