there is the sea
and there you are
riding it
plowing through
wave upon wave
as if
your life
depended on it
your shoulders straight
hand on the wheel
captain of your ship
a smile lingering
on your lips
there oh there you
approaching the horizon
life’s journey
that new horizon
rain rain
wash away
the dust from my clothes
the dust clinging still
to my eyes
let me walk clean
toward that new horizon
I see
from a line by Wei Ying-wu
ah this life
a long journey
and we travelers
stumbling along
with uncertain hearts
the wind at our backs
the sun on our faces
our eyes on the bend
in the road
from a line by Wen T’ing-yün: this endless river
all the past the present
flows oh so swiftly
on this endless river
of the heart
to the future
which will oh so soon
become the present the past
as the heart’s river
flows on
and on
on this oh too brief journey
of our lives
from a line by Wang Po: for Mike Harrison
where the road forks
my feet went left
yours right
decades past
miles seas continents apart
lost to each other
now found again
where the roads meet
in space
finding horizons
not ready
to roll over
yet
still finding
horizons
to cross
taking the lead from Ch’i-chi
this road
these feet
that direction
from a line by Lu Yu
there the storm
a full gale
of trouble
oh how to glide
safely through
on this little boat
with arms not as strong
on the oars
but the heart
undaunted
the mystery awaits
the road
stretches toward
the horizon
the approach
palms up
eyes alert
heart open
the mystery
awaits
on listening to Tom Rush Sunday morning in Aliağa
just some old engine
doing my best
to fulfill promises made
so long ago
but the road
turned into roads
and distractions abound
lord, oh lord
misplaced or lost
that old driving wheel
and how I feel
I mumble
into the wind
Leonard Durso 