Wayne F. Burke: Poetry (Western Voices 2021)

Bio: Wayne F. Burke's poetry has been published widely online and in print. He is author of eight published poetry collections and one collection of short stories (TURMOIL & Other Stories, Adelaide Press, NY, 2020).  Two of his book reviews have previously appeared in SETU. He lives in the central area of Vermont, USA.

 

Translation

 

Navigating the wet sidewalks

clumped with snow & ice

I reach the river of babble-on

murmuring, like

a crowd in a theater before

the curtain rises—

whispering, like the children

in bed before lights out—

it babbles of wetness, no

doubt,

speaking in fluidities…

I cannot translate the

croak of the crow

or

the screech of the wind

either.

 

Perfect

 

A blue infinitude and

dreamy clouds

above the sun

sinking down

to a horizon of

ridge line pines

marching along the crest

left right left

as a jet

coming in from the west

lays a stream of smoke

like a needle

to stitch a rent

should one appear

in the perfectly blue

sky.

 

 

Kalpas to Go

A howling baby

starts the world again

world without end

or beginning

we are born into

again and again

until Nirvana when

all karmic debts

paid

the wheel of samsara

stops

to let off

a Buddha

while the rest

have kalpas to go

before arrival at

the golden silent hall of knowing

birth-less and

death-less.

---

Western Voices 2021 :: Setu, February 2021