circle of breath

forty-one Buddhas

in black

still as statues

looking inward

toward the center

of the circle

which breathes

as it is breathed

dust motes twinkling

in the sunlight

wisp of incense

painting portraits

glint of silver

on the altar

spiders bowing

crawling kinhin

air dims down

quiet

quiet

speech no words

thoughts race

fall away

for a moment

or two

then wink and nod

bell rings

meditation

never ends

the long loving

look into

depth

still

as

statues

forty-

one

Buddhas

in

black

--dave klaus   9.25.14