The small self passing

The small self passing    

There’s a narrow walking down

through thick woods road to a river

and whatever is met on that road,

that walking down, is left forever behind.

At the river the road keeps going, 

always new and even after arriving

it is only illusion, so the sutras

and discourses explain, illusion

that makes us believe in the small self passing

that owns the body that walks the road,

only the provisional construct

and thoroughgoing habit gathered

over lifetimes from various fragments,

sustained by ignorance and fear

and the divine plan and o, my fellow pilgrims!

what a relief it would be, would it not?

a joyous, destined liberation to walk that road

all the way down to the never-returning river

where everything met is passed through

and left forever neatly, cleanly behind.

O child of God, remove thyself,

said Hafiz, for thou art the veil.

-----------------------------------------------------------

(photo by AElliot - pixabay)