Post 2, Tess Townsend

The following entry is a response to the prompt, “Emptiness.” In Buddhism, emptiness does not denote a lack of something, but rather is viewed as the ultimate wholeness and fullness. The goal of meditation is to empty one’s mind. To be empty is to recognize that the “self” is an illusion, merely the product of every other thing that exists. A tree does not exist independently. It is the result of air, water, earth and sun, as well as the result of whatever results in air, water, earth and sun.

emptiness emptiness emptiness emptiness fullness fullness fullness breakfast breakfast fasting fast fast running running running walking slowing-down sitting emptiness emptiness emptiness wholeness wholeness wholeness hole

hole in the center of a bagel
hole in the center of the earth
black hole in the center of the universe vacancy void
the universe itself is a hole of wholeness and emptiness

dogs barking in the abyss barking barking barking inconsequentially

emptiness emptiness emptiness

celestial twinklings
infinity and nothing
nothing for infinity
nothing forever
everything for eternity

no eternity no time no beginning no end fishbowls snow globes finite floor and ceiling try not to bump your head impossible existence of beginning and end within infinity there is no infinity there is not light there is no earth there is no basis no ground and no sky no floor and no ceiling

emptiness emptiness emptiness void vacancy abyss droning droning droning a flower roots bees air water soil no words complete collapse words inexpressible words illusions no separation no tangibility no strength and no weakness

emptiness emptiness emptiness

books class time passed ineffable

students screaming into the void
dogs barking into the abyss
beggars begging bits of illusory sustenance
addicts addicted to dream-creations
painters painting reflections of mirrors

look into the void see the void reflected infinitely
see it reflected not at all