Buddha’s Not Talking
He looks out from the shelf while I consider
manure, sharp knives and the hagfish’s second
heart, or whether odors differ in texture when a dog
retraces his steps through the park, and do they really
lose themselves or just quickly shed their pasts,
forever moving towards now. Sometimes I say hello,
but truthfully we seldom interact, unless I bump his
shoulder when retrieving one of the books leaning
against him, and then it’s only a quick “sorry” on my
part, and a stare on his, perhaps a slight nod if
I’ve not yet had coffee. I fear I’ll never grasp
the difference in having and being, that my true
nature has splattered on a trail and the dogs will
sniff it and lift their legs in acknowledgment,
or perhaps acceptance of the infinite, with wisdom
far beyond my reach, before moving on to disquisitions
about soil and fragrance and the need to justify art
with decimal points. Yesterday I roasted chicken, moved
books, sipped ale. Today I’ll sweep, discard papers and
wonder if I’ll become what I think, whether reincarnation
will be cruel or kind. Either way, Buddha’s not talking.
* * *
“Buddha’s Not Talking” first appeared in July 2017 at Blue Bonnet Review.
With gratitude to editor Cristina Del Canto for taking this piece.
O at the Edges 
silence is powerful and says everything
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It certainly works on (and for) me!
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I guess he’s letting you find your own enlightenment–or not.
My parents had an antique business, and my little sister and I used to rub the Buddha’s belly. I hope he didn’t think it was disrespectful. He never seemed to mind. . .
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I think you’re right – it’s up to me. I’d guess that Buddha took the rubbing all in stride. Just another day at the office…
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🙂
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Loved this.
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Thank you, Nadine.
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The plastic furbies (rescued from my daughter’s throw away pile) aren’t talking either…(K)
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Silence abounds!
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Not often enough I find.
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The timing is certainly often not optimal!
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Ha! I know there’s a serious element here but if I don’t laugh at Buddha’s silence I’ll cry.
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I’m sure that he rolls his eyes at me when I’m not looking…
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Love the form, and how random it all seems, but still is able to make sense.
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Thank you. Life is pretty random, but sometimes makes sense. 🙂
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Deep! Yes, I agree! ^^
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