Shàn in Abundance

M

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

odern poetry modern verse contemporary poetry contemporary verse modern poem contemporary poem

I know a woman in Beijing who cares.

She cares for cats.  She rescues them the way

The Buddha might.  She takes them in and shares

Her tiny income with them.  People flay

And eat them in the south of China.  She

Protects abandoned cats.  When I heard of

This, I requested one.  She brought me three.

This lady practices the kind of love

We call compassion—and charity.  I

Was shamed and thrilled that she had brought me more.

She brought me three and tripled love. How sly.

I only wish that she had brought me four.

I should have asked for five or six.  I wish

That I had fed six rescued creatures fish.

© Phillip Whidden