As I walked past it in the busy street,
the serenity of repose – stone eyes
shut – proclaimed a detachment achieved,
to all appearances mere slumber, yet
in its closed lids an open relevance.
Rotund as a world, a ball its pillow,
its stillness revealed an activity
accomplished that all around was exposed
in process, bespeaking the short-fall
in life as having a long way to go.
Here we had sleep with endless time endowed
out-doing death on its own terms - what greater
manifestation! - what greater need to
articulate appreciation! – stone
itself the living substance of Nirvana!
