New England Sutra 2: Rivers and Ice

The river is covered
in ice and snow.

Beneath it though, the tide still rises
and falls.

While beneath the tide, the current flows.

But all I see is ice
and snow,

the material world within which
we think we know.

Beneath it, particles and waves of the quantum
universe show.

Beneath that is unmanifest though.

Some day the ice will melt and go; I'll see again
the tide rise and fall.

But only when I submerge myself will I know
the current.

Surrender, surrender, surrender, O!

New England Sutra: Nothing but Snow

There’s nothing anywhere here but snow.

The roads are covered in it and the air is speckled with it and every branch of every tree is frosted with it.

The world is turning white as if my ability to classify each and every thing has been suddenly found wanting.

Instead there’s one thing and one thing only.

It is holy with mystery and I catch it on my tongue like the host of some natural communion.

And now I know that I am snow too...

melting into nothing.