A Drifting Boat: Chinese Zen Poetry by Dennis Maloney
All the poems are so well translated and seems to keep true to their original innocence and wonder. Each piece in this collection should be repeated multiple times to feel its true resonance – like the humming and the mumbling that these poets talk of when they talk of chanting poetry.
The gibbons chattering, the moonlight flowing over you, the soft wind caressing, the lofty mountains for friends, the white clouds playful all around and the other minute yet infinite details of a secluded life take special meaning in each repetitive but strangely innovative verse.
And of course, the boats keep drifting, empty, alone; filled only with the silver moonlight.
My favorite one:
River. Snow.
A thousand mountains.
Flying birds vanish.
Ten thousand paths.
Human traces erased.
One boat, bamboo hat, bark cape — an old man.
Alone with his hook. Cold river. Snow.
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Rohini
Riku
Wandering Mirages 
Cherie Roe Dirksen
July 2, 2012 at 11:32
Simply beautiful. But I guess that is what true beauty is…simple and graceful.
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SuperTramP
July 2, 2012 at 12:03
yes, it has to have an element of the dream in it I guess..
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Explorations in Sacred Space
July 3, 2012 at 05:43
Lovely.
Jamie
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SuperTramP
July 3, 2012 at 08:32
thanks 🙂
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Pagadan
July 20, 2012 at 18:51
I enjoyed your review and the poem, and isn’t A Drifting Boat a beautiful title! Refuge Among the Whispering Trees is another one. And the related articles sound so serene. Thank you for stopping by my writing blog and giving me the opportunity to drift blissfully along for a little while.
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SuperTramP
July 20, 2012 at 19:00
Thank you for such a wonderfully poetic comment. Drift a while yet, there is much moonlight left. 🙂
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Cylian
February 22, 2013 at 08:11
Actually, Mantra Meditation does not require that one say the mrnata outloud. In fact, in some practices, the mrnata is believed to lose power if voiced. The intent is actually not to bore the mind, it is to focus the mind and remove distractions. Meditation can actually be practiced in any way that feels comfortable. There is a style of meditation, where one focuses on an object, it can be any object. Candle meditation is an example of this focusing on the flame. Sometimes one reads a passage and thinks on it for a bit. Sometimes one clears the mind mrnatas are helpful in this.
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