Ensō: Pleasure in Absence of Ending
Thoughtful, proposing not end, but process.
In this noon’s grayness I disclose my need.
Which is a lotus floating in your pond, a clutch of zeros
blooming in moonlight. Last night’s missing sleep.
An ending, by definition, concludes.
But what occurs in a circle’s body, or infinity’s border?
Imprecision acknowledged, I sip wine and gauge distance.
Take comfort in the disorderly.
Starting at the top, the brush moves down and right,
clockwise, then rising in opposition, halts.
Drifting, incomplete, I step back.
Some leave a gap; others do not.
* * *
This first appeared in Posit: A Journal of Literature and Art in September 2017, and may be found in my full-length collection Our Loveliest Bruises, recently published by 3: A Taos Press.
O at the Edges 
This was the most perfect poem to end the book on. I’m glad you did the same at the reading. And I am partial to the gap, myself. 🙂
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In this iteration, there was never any question as to what would be the ending poem. It had to be.
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I love this one. I’ve painted many an enso in my time. (K)
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I feel like I am an enso!
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Wonderful poem, yet again, Enso Okaji _/_
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🙏🏼 Thank you, Emily!
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So very telling
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I don’t think I’ll ever be complete. But I keep trying to fill in the blank spaces.
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I so enjoyed hearing you read this piece and others at the recent Black Dog Zoom event, Bob. “Dry Well” was another favorite. Beautiful work!
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Good to see this poem tonight sitting my winter-cold corner reading chair. Good winter to you Robert!
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