GULLS, PIGEONS, AND HARE KRISHNAS

(photo by Alan D. Wilson, www.naturespicsonline.com, from Wikipedia)

Gulls on the wall
Watch humanity pass
With no apparent interest.
When you can fly,
What else
Grabs your attention?

A Hare Krishna told me once
Whatever fills your mind
Determines how
You’ll be reborn.
If you fixate
On sex, you’ll come back as
A pigeon. “A dirty
Bird,” he said, sounding
Like a grouch grandma.

I pointed out to him
That pigeons fly.

Flying seems
Exhilarating
When you can’t do more
Than dream about it.
And I dream about it
Often. Always have.

Hare Krishnas,
On the other hand,
I only see
If it’s a nightmare.
Those who cannot fly
Hang out in airports,
Knowing what they do
In spirit
Can’t come true.
They fixate on
The ones with lots of
Baggage who can’t
Get away so quickly.
Them, they’ll trap
And badger
With their version
Of the truth.

Gulls and pigeons
Bring
Only a song –
Gurgles of love,
Cries of release,
The language
Of the winged
Who know
Only this moment,
Who can fly
Without waiting in line
To buy a ticket,
Whose truth
Waits for them,
Somewhere,
High in blue air.


-- © 2009 by Jack Veasey


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