February 17, 2021

To Be of Use 

The people I love the best
jump into work head first
without dallying in the shallows
and swim off with sure strokes almost out of sight.
They seem to become natives of that element,
the black sleek heads of seals
bouncing like half-submerged balls.

I love people who harness themselves, an ox to a heavy cart,
who pull like water buffalo, with massive patience,
who strain in the mud and the muck to move things forward,
who do what has to be done, again and again.

I want to be with people who submerge
in the task, who go into the fields to harvest
and work in a row and pass the bags along,
who are not parlor generals and field deserters
but move in a common rhythm
when the food must come in or the fire be put out.

The work of the world is common as mud.
Botched, it smears the hands, crumbles to dust.
But the thing worth doing well done
has a shape that satisfies, clean and evident.
Greek amphoras for wine or oil,
Hopi vases that held corn, are put in museums
but you know they were made to be used.
The pitcher cries for water to carry
and a person for work that is real.

by Marge Piercy

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Special bows for today: 

• Please offer bows for:
• Hank Wesselman who died on February 15th
• Please continue to offer bows in honor of:
• Roshi Mel Weitsman who died on 1/7/21
• Ian Hass, Kathleen Dickey's cousin, who died on 12/28/20
• Tim Doherty, Chris Doherty's brother, who died on 1/8/21
• Please continue to offer bows of well-being for: 
• Misha's cousin, Kenny, who has been diagnosed with ALS
• Shannon's husband, Gil, who is slowly recovering
• Flip Dibner, dharma brother and friend, who is more than halfway through  chemotherapy treatments while at home 
• David Shaw, who is continuing the process of PT after a stroke

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Wonderful links shared by sangha members and friends:

• Alisa Tu: interviewed on CBS about vaccinations:   https://www.cbsnews.com/video/only-4-of-all-covid-vaccine-doses-administered-in-us-went-to-long-term-care-facility-residents/#x

• From Diane: Bird songs:   https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/mcvmagazine/bird_songs_interactive/index.html

• From Bill:  A wonderful article about Thich Nhat Hanh:   https://tricycle.org/magazine/thich-nhat-hanh-in-paris/ 
• Zen Heart Sangha website: resources about COVID-19: www.zenheartsangha.org

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• To leave a comment on this blog:  Here is a quick video on how to--it's from 2017, but should work:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8T4RflO5Wgg