An Unnecessary Vacuum

Quite apart from faiths,

We see the cherry blossoms

And blooms on plum trees.

                           ~ Nanpoku

           [Englished by Phillip Whidden]

Modern poetry modern verse contemporary poetry contemporary verse modern poem contemporary poem 

   Plum blossoms

Apart from our religions there rest things

More like Ideals in Plato, more like youth

That glows from skin, and more like monarch wings

That flutter, flutter, flutter to the truth

Of nectar, not the nectar of the gods

On Mount Olympus but the utter sweet

Lips licking lips, lips kissing lips, like prods

Of penis in a gasping hole, the bleat

Of lambs in April fields.  We do not need

The Unseen Stuff outside his darkling cave.

We find ourselves filled, pregnant with the speed of light

And need no angels swooping in a nave.

  The candle light and incense are enough.

    We find we do not need religions’ guff.

~ Phillip Whidden