Master Po: Close your eyes. What do you hear?
Young Caine: I hear the water, I hear the birds.
Po: Do you hear your own heartbeat?
Caine: No.
Po: Do you hear the grasshopper that is at your feet?
Caine: Old man, how is it that you hear these things?
Po: Young man, how is it that you do not?

The fundamental delusion of humanity is to suppose that I am here and you are out there.
Yasutani Roshi

"Everything exists, everything is true and the earth is only a little dust under our feet".
W. B. Yeats

"To think like a wise man, but to express oneself like the common people."
Aristotle

Day is done

When the day is done
Down to earth then sinks the sun
Along with everything that was lost and won
When the day is done.

When the day is done
Hope so much your race will be all run
Then you find you jumped the gun
Have to go back where you began
When the day is done.

When the night is cold
Some get by but some get old
Just to show life's not made of gold
When the night is cold.

When the bird has flown
Got no-one to call your own
Got no place to call your home
When the bird has flown.
When the game's been fought
You speed the ball across the court
Lost much sooner than you would have thought
Now the game's been fought.

When the party's through
Seems so very sad for you
Didn't do the things you meant to do
Now there's no time to start anew
Now the party's through.

When the day is done
Down to earth then sinks the sun
Along with everything that was lost and won
When the day is done.
Nick

BELLA CIAO

Questa mattina mi son svegliato
oh bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao, ciao, ciao,
questa mattina mi son svegliatoe ho trovato l'invasor.
Oh partigiano, portami via
oh bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao, ciao, ciao,
oh partigiano, portami via,
che mi sento di morir.
E se io muoio lassù in montagna
oh bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao, ciao, ciao,
e se io muoio lassù in montagnatu mi devi seppellir.
Seppellire sulla montagna,
oh bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao, ciao, ciao,
seppellire sulla montagna
sotto l'ombra di un bel fior.
E le genti che passeranno,
oh bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao, ciao, ciao,
e le genti che passerannomi diranno: " Che bel fior ".
È questo il fiore del partigiano,
oh bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao, ciao, ciao,
è questo il fiore del partigiano
morto per la libertà.

Leaving Me Behind

The tramp moves on to the end of the street
I listen to the echo of his hobnail feet
For some there's a future to find
But I think they're leaving me behind.

The world humes on at its breakneck pace
People fly in their lifelong race
For them there's a future to find
But I think they're leaving me behind.

The chances they come, but the chances have been lost
Success can be gained, but at too great a cost
For some there's a future to find
But I think they're leaving me behind.

The wind sweeps up and goes back to its tree
The rain flows by and moves to the sea
For them there's a future to find
But I think they're leaving me behind.
Nick