Calligraphy Accompanied by the Mood of a Calm…

Make your strokes thus: the horizontal:

as a cloud that slowly drifts across the horizon;

the vertical: as an ancient but strong vine stem;

the dot: a falling rock;

and learn to master the sheep leg, the tiger’s claw,

an apricot kernel, a dewdrop, the new moon,

the wave rising and falling. Do these

while holding your arm out above the paper

like the outstretched leg of a crane.

The strength of your hand

will give the stroke its bone.

But for real accomplishment, it would be well

if you would go to live solitary in a forest silence,

or beside a river flowing serenely.

It might also be useful

to look down a lonesome road,

and for the future

to stare into the gray static of a television screen,

or when lost in a video game

to accept you may never reach the final level,

where the dragon awaits, guarding the pot of gold,

and that you’ve left no footprints, not a single one,

despite all your adventures,

anyone following you could ever follow.

Source: Poetry (December 2011)