Soul Space
Your soul is a space
for great flocks of kotuku
to rise up.
or a forest
of quiet rimu
attentive to wind
or water
transparent, quick
in a Tongariro stream.
Birds
Trees
Water
Plant the wisdom tree close to water.
White birds will dance
wing to bright wing among leaves
transforming your ruin into joy.Anne Powell
The Point
Every time the Abbot opens his mouth
emerald birds fly out
and sit on my shoulder.
The speech of birds is the sound of wisdom.
I long to tame such a bird
take it home to Wellington.
"The point," says the Abbot,
"is to leave the bird untamed."
Anne Powell
Seven Steps
The beginning of wisdom is not knowing.
The next step of wisdom is presence.
The third step of wisdom is water lily.
The next step of wisdom is gaze.
The fifth step of wisdom is open petals.
The next step of wisdom is unlearning.
The seventh step of wisdom is joy.
Anne Powell