Meditation Poem by Jim Yerman

Yesterday Deborah and I awoke early and off to the beach we slunk
To attend a meditation class...taught by a real Buddhist monk.

Meditation is relatively simple for the value that it packs
It begins with sitting quietly...back straight and head relaxed.

You close your eyes and create a place where only your mind can see
Then you attempt to clear that mind in search of clarity.

I winked at Deborah, “This will be easy.” I said with a naive confident smirk
Little did I know this clearing the mind thing would be such difficult work.

Yes, our monk had a comforting smile and his voice was soothing...still
I couldn’t get past the fact he looked like our daughter’s first husband Wil.

“It’s Wil...it’s not Wil”...my mind kept telling itself, as my relaxing went astray.
While the man who was Wil but not Wil said, “Let all irrelevant thoughts drift away.

I finally watched that thought drift away...my meditation could begin
But darned if so many other thoughts didn’t keep sailing in.

We’re attending a wedding in June...I wondered about the newlyweds.
I thought our monk had a cool outfit; ‘Do all monks shave their heads? ’

Did I lock the door to the store last night? I have never seen a squid.
I wonder what’s for lunch today...How are Ali and the kids?

Try as I might in this meditation I was realizing my deepest fear
No matter how I tried...my mind just wouldn’t clear.

All attempts to ignore them only made my irrelevant thought increase
At this rate I’ll be 100 years old before I find inner peace.

“Today’s meditation is over.” Wil sighed, “See you next week...same time and place
I looked around and noticed everyone else had a peaceful smile on their face.

As for me I smiled like the rest but in truth I felt a little zapped
After all that placId, peaceful meditation...I went home and took a nap.