Shundo David Haye – Zen Priest

In the mountains
Are many companions of the Way,
Sitting zazen, chanting,
Forming a natural community.
But if you gazed
Far from city walls
In this direction,
All you would see is white clouds.

I will echo what I wrote when I first posted this poem nine years ago: This was one of my favourite poems when I first lived at Tassajara, from a collection of old Chinese poems. Very happy to be returning there in a couple of days.