AnonymousRhymesAndProse

This week was Chinese spring festival. Growing up my family didn't really celebrate it and my parents didn't take time off. Immigrant parents make countless sacrifices to provide a better future for their children. Now that my kids are grown and independent, I reflect on the journey of parenthood. I wouldn't be who I am today without that experience. This morning there was snow in the back yard. It paints a pretty picture. Soon flowers and plants will sprout. 抱抱 地收天情 璇光化雪 水流轻轻 彤玫瑰开

Recently, the Dao delivered a gift when I least expected it. There is a line from Dao De Jing verse 37 The path of the dao is non-action and yet not no-action  道常無為而無不為 For me, it's a reminder to clear our minds of noise and ego. When your soul is a blank canvas, the Dao will provide what nature intends and you can follow nature. 瓷 云哭洗山, 凤凰开眼, 花送天王, 堂开千璇 I asked chatGPT to translate the poem. This is one possible translation Porcelain The clouds weep, cleansing the mountains, the pheonix opens its eyes flowers are sent to the heavenly king the hall opens to a thousand radiances.

When my child was ready for their Bat Mitzvah, I had to give a speech. This is the poem I wrote for that occasion. Buying a dress   Standing in the baby aisle  I see pastel dresses on hangers Some blue, some pink, some yellow   One looks like an eye One looks like a star Another is ready to back flip into the shopping cart   Your hands gave me the courage  To buys dresses Your smile tells me to draw and paint Your compassion dresses my days with joy Your smiles lifts me out of bed, even when a blizzard is howling outside   Buying dresses is a blessing for fathers

Growing up an immigrant in the US had many challenges. When your parents culture doesn't permit displays of affection, it can give you the impression your parents don't love you. There were moment in my youth when these cultural differences caused a lot of confusion and pain. With time, I grew to understand my father through the gift of my son. The first time I remember hearing my father say I love you was when my son was born. Having a son taught me many things. Gifts from My Son I remember you looked up your hands were small your smile reached deep into the soul of my father   It uncovered memories long forgotten moments when I was a new born eager to embrace his hand   When I held you for the first time I became my father when you cried at night I walked around the house   It felt like endless hours round and round again Saw glimpses of my father windows of my reflection there is a line in your palm that runs through my heart it continues to my fathers and through his ...

 In college I wrote many poems. Most are forgettable or a still frame of a moment in a young life. Some were beyond the experience of a college student. As I look back and re-read the poems, a few take on a different meaning as a father. Sons in Search of Fathers why do my feet traverse paths of my fathers father running over foreign lines tripping down the ruins of time not knowing where I step each step threatens to throw me off sharp clifs to jagged shored line with thick seaweed I'm running on the walls of blood through Greece and back to Rome Why do fathers shed their shoes and walk on jagged stones can I see the painted shores will I mend his punctured feet can I ever hear his voice guide me through his streets did he melt his shield and blades to forge an ax to chip away to make of mounts of hills of glades a brick with which to lay can I hear his silent feet walking down the foreign lines from land-to-ship-to-land again with ax to build again Age & Time The dictionary o...

Still young been on this planet for fifty odd years Tried to wake up each morning Greet the sun with my heart try to climb an endless hill try to cross a depthless sea there are days when my feet hurt days when my arms want to rest moments when my heart can't pump moments when my eyes can't see each morning, my heart opens each moment, I take a step I don't know where the road is I don't know if there is an end I keep walking, keeping young I remember the universe is old it's been here before my first breath it will be here after I leave even when my bones are brittle my heart will keep beating my soul will try to be young you're never too old to be young you're never too old to be young hug the world with young eyes embrace the world with warm hands

water, clouds, rain when I could barely crawl stairs set the path the world told me how to move right foot, left foot right hand, left hand step forward, move upward carry the world after many years I don't feel the weight I swallowed all the tears I swallowed all the fears storms pour down the stairs threatens to push me down showers wash the salt cleans my legs and arms one day I see a pond catch a brief reflection who did I see what did he want after many years after many stairs I want to see a pond rest in calm reflections know what water is

 sugar (poem inspired by august-d song my dear friend) brother I miss you I miss your smile the joy glowing from your fingers seeing a car race across the tile you spent weeks sanding CD's spinning bearings and looking for perfection you came home with the award your eyes flying high in the clouds one day your mind escaped gravity an infinite dance of lights an infinite connection to the unknown I don't know where you flew the last time you were on earth we played miniature golf I saw your smile again I saw your brilliance once more even when you sat next to me your mind was an astronaut flying to galaxies I've never seen building rockets I can never touch I see you every where I look I miss you every day Even when I can't give you a hug I see you and I see your smile