When I was young enough that

everything was me-

my hand, my mouth-

I knew what the cormorants

at the lake know now as they sit

on the bare limbs of submerged trees

and wait for, dive for,

and swallow fish:

they are not a part of anything;

they are the tree, the water, the fish,

the sitting, the waiting,

the diving, and the swallowing.

The baby (me) understood that so well

that no words were needed,

but then I grew up and built walls

with words as I was forgetting

who I am.

~~

If I could ask the cormorants, or the fish,

or the tree for more information-

if I could make myself known to them

not as they are known to me now

but as the baby (me) would have known them

then,

(if that were possible)

then, then I could

maybe learn again to

stop fearing

stop hoping

stop suffering

and simply

be.

(Read other chapters of reaction to the Tao: taochow.wikispaces.com)