Four Poems by James Shapiro

by James Shapiro

Light Has No Distance to Travel

a tiny spark,

rays, tiny bars

trip off the bathroom faucet's bend

everything shines

even darkness

the source shines

and she,

she too

owes a debt

together live

& then pay back

thus, forward

Through the Trees

through the trees

the passing car's headlights flicker

a life is passing

a firefly

even in December blinks and blinks

farewell

All is White

white skull

white mind

white heart

everywhere we walk

pure land

no other practice

Ise

Ise shrine

the gods born from a bloodless slit

and the wind moves

the split white curtain

neither front nor back

not a door nor a gate

space rich and without a center

comes all at once

from everywhere