Vox Populi
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James Crews: At the Monastery
I join the others who fold their hands
and bow to a statue of the Buddha
as they enter and leave the temple.
But I want to ask: Would you bow
to the blown-open peony, its petals
strewn like slips of silk in the grass
after last night’s storm? Would you bow
to the miracle of your mother’s voice
recorded and stored on your phone,
singing “Happy Birthday,” as she did
each year? What about the honeybee,
going about its business of helping
to feed the world simply by doing
the work it was given? And the crack
in the sidewalk that allows a few purple
asters to bloom and sway at the feet
of whomever passes by? What about
the humble pillow cradling your head
at night, faithful as any lover, learning
your shape, gently cupping the nape
of your neck? Would you bow to that
on your way out of the temple that is
your bedroom each morning, or bring
your hands together and press them
to your chest when you catch a glimpse
of your own face in the mirror?
Copyright 2023 James Crews
James Crews is the author of the essay collection, Kindness Will Save the World, and editor of the forthcoming The Wonder of Small Things: Poems of Peace & Renewal. A widely published poet, James lives with his husband in the woods of Southern Vermont.
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Thank you. This sent me looking for more of Crews’ work. Pausing momentarily may just be the most important thing we can do. Why is it so damn hard?!
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Yes, James has a number of great poems and essays. He’s one of my faves.
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And now one of mine, thanks to you.
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Love the intimacy, the peony blown open. The mother’s voice. James, tender and honest as always.
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Thanks, Clayton. I agree.
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I love James’ poetry. Such subtlety. What a loss that so many remain unbowed, and what we would gain if it were not so.
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Thanks, Matt!
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“Would you bow
to the blown-open peony, its petals
strewn like slips of silk in the grass
after last night’s storm?”
Yes, and yes to this beautiful poem❤️
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Yes!
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Gorgeous poem! And a beautiful description of what poetry is!
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Thanks, Claire. Could you explain what you mean? How is James’s poem a description of what a poem is?
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What I think I meant by a description of what poetry is is that as James’s poem unfolds, it reminds me of how poetry happens, how poetry is in the noticing. Does that make any sense?
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Oh, yes, it makes a great deal of sense. Thank you!
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Indeed.
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Such a lovely thoughtful poem!
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Isn’t it, though?
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The answer is yes, and yes, yes. That is the Buddhist way. I think he knows that and uses the question device to create an evocative list. All things are Buddha. The hard part is when you bow to something you find distasteful or harmful. They too are part of the whole and are what they are because of causes and conditions we may not be aware of, or may be perceived to be so because of our own limitations.
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Thanks, Maura. You’ve given us a lot to think about…
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Gorgeous poem, James. Thank you.
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Yes, I love James’s poems. He has a gentle yet probing tone. He takes up big issues, but comes to them from simple experiences.
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Yes, Michael — that’s exactly right!
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