Enlightenment in the School Library: Some Haiku for You

SUMMARY
A garage sale find fosters re-examination of Zen Haiku, suggesting that anything may become a medium for enlightenment. Seven haiku about the school library as a place for enlightenment follow.


Yard Sale in Port Stanley
I had some interesting library thoughts at our yard sale yesterday. The sale was less a way to sell stuff than to let it go. A way to meet neighbours, befriend strangers, and observe people searching for treasure.

A Zen Wave

Here's what transpired. While waiting for customers, I picked up a random book from the table: A Zen Wave: Basho's Haiku and Zen by American poet Robert Aiken. After several pages, I came to enlightenment: what was I thinking; how could I let go of this treasure?

The first chapter presents Aiken's translation of Basho's most famous haiku:

The old pond:
A frog jumps in —
The sound of water.

With the help of an introduction by M.S. Merwin, Aiken explains the problems of translation, the nature of the haiku form as it has come to appear in English, and explicates wonderful possibilities for sound and sense in the Japanese originals. It is all about poetry that offers the chance for wordless and sudden recognition of the true nature of things. As I kept reading, there suddenly appeared this bolt from Aiken's Hawaiian teacher, Yamada Kōun Rōshi:

When your consciousness has become ripe by true zazen—pure like clear water, like a serene mountain lake, not moved by any wind—then anything may serve as a medium for enlightenment.

Anything. So, the school library is as good a place for satori as anywhere! As the evening drew on, I began working out some haiku for those of you who couldn't come by for one of our treasures. I hope you enjoy them.

Enlightenment in the School Library: Some Haiku for You

1.

Still shadows on shelves;

Library sleeps in moonlight.

Crack! The doors open.

2. 

Letters on a page,

Words on the taletelling air.

Mind walks ancient roads.

3. 

Fingers turn corners,

Eyes scan for new pathways.

Search! It is here.

4.

Blackboard and whiteboard;

Scribble, bibble, bubble, boo!

Autumn leaves burn bright.

5.

Machines spit data;

Wisdom is harder to find.

The screen glows quietly.

6

Together to learn

Children dash, dart, plunge, and swim.

Library ripples.

7.

Close up the shop,

Tie down the books and ipads.

Oops! Ideas got out!