Drizzled.Plundered.Poured.Like sunlight.Like religion.Like sleet againsta car window.I am a gorgeouscatastrophe George Cassidy Payne is a poet from Rochester, NY. His work has been included in such publications as the Hazmat Review, Moria Poetry Journal, Chronogram Journal, Ampersand Literary Review, The Angle at St. John Fisher College, and 3:16 Journal. George’s blogs, essays and letters have appeared in USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, Havana Times, South […]
life
Littered With Salvation
A flask-shaped bald head olive-black eyes. Short chestnutbrown eyebrows. Oshkosh B’goshoveralls and an ultraviolet purplesleeved shirt. Like small dollspatched with the materials of a day’s harvestsinking into the earthinto a wormhole of foliage, laughing at nothingbut the act of knowing that sometimes it’s commonand good to laugh at nothing. We played unconcealed. Outside. Submerged in winding branches and […]
Zen and the Art of Dying
I remember when the thought of dying became real to me. I was 24 years old, serving a tour of duty in Iraq with the U.S. Marines. It was my squad’s turn to act as the quick reaction force (QRF) for our base. QRF is like the 911 of a forward-deployed unit. They’re on standby 24/7, […]
Suffering the Process of Decision-Making
Several years ago, I went through a period when I struggled with unemployment—no matter how many job applications I submitted, nothing seemed to come of my efforts. That is, until one day (as it often happens) I got two job offers at the same time. The offers were both appealing to the same extent, with […]
Does ET Have a Soul?
What would happen to ourunderstanding of humannessif we knew that we are not alone?And does ET have a soul?Parallel worlds and alternate realities.An abundance of creatures on earth;there could also be other beings,even intelligent ones, that were createdby God. Brothers and sisters both. George Cassidy Payne is a poet from Rochester, NY. His work has been included in such […]
Primitive Religion
Like you, I amjust seekingan experienceof being alive. Stirred, smoothed,and thickened, freshas a rosemary sprig, my primitive religion feels strained througha sieve on topof a cooled caramel base. George Cassidy Payne is a poet from Rochester, NY. His work has been included in such publications as the Hazmat Review, Moria Poetry Journal, Chronogram Journal, Ampersand Literary […]
MPR Raccoon and the Bodhisattva Way
On June 18th a raccoon in Minnesota climbed up the side of a building and captured a nation’s heart. Observers believe that she originally went up there to steal eggs from bird nests, but got stuck in the process. Well-meaning maintenance workers tried to help her by building a make-shift ladder for her to climb […]
Missing Another
Master Jingzong; English translation by Foying, edited by Jingxing We may think that our memories of people will eventually fade. But as it turns out, the feeling of missing another only grows stronger with time, although subtly. I often remember my parents who passed away many years ago; my siblings, friends, schoolmates, former colleagues; Venerable Master […]
Facing the Loss of a Loved One
Master Jingzong; English translation by Jinghua, edited by Fojin Two objects, A and B are fastened together by a rope. When A drops, it will naturally affect B if B is not anchored. However, if B is rooted, it will be able to hold up A and not let it fall, and will eventually pull […]
Why We’re So Unhappy
The other day I came across a brilliant parody article from the satirical site Newsthump, highlighting how hard a basic task like buying a vacuum cleaner has become in our society. The point is not necessarily that vacuum cleaners are difficult to buy, but how much more effort it seems we must spend on mundane […]