For an image of life and death

consider ice and water

water freezes into ice

ice melts back into water

what dies must live again

what lives is bound to die

ice and water don't harm each other

both life and death are fine

Cold Mountain

from 

The Collected Songs of Cold Mountain

Today's morning mountain walk. Life and death.

Why am I so troubled 

life is a one-day mushroom

what good is another decade

with friends and family gone

thinking of this makes me sad

and sadness I can't bear

what then do I do

entrust myself to the hills for good

Cold Mountain

from

 The Collected Songs of Cold Mountain

Scenes from my garden

 

 

the people I see in the world

walk dazed in the dust of the road

they don't know where they are

or how to find the ford

their bloom lasts how many days

their loved ones aren't close long

even if I had a ton of gold

I'd rather be poor in the woods

Cold Mountain

from

The Collected Songs of Cold Mountain

People search for cloud roads

but cloud roads can't be found

the peaks are high and sheer

the streams are wide and dark

ridges rise in front and back

clouds stretch from east to west

I'll tell you where the cloud roads are

cloud roads are in space

Cold Mountain

from

The Collected Songs of Cold Mountain

    

 

 

I have heard on Mount Tientai

somewhere are trees of jade

although I say I'll look

a stone bridge blocks the way

this is why I'm distressed

my good days are almost gone

today when I looked in at mirror

all I saw were wisps of white

Cold Mountain

from

The Collected Songs of Cold Mountain

Another day, another sunrise in the mountains...

Heading for the hills. Dawn light.

 

When the pain of love increases your joy,

roses and lilies fill the garden of your soul.

Rumi