Rabbit and Rose

beaded rabbit

Reading Cold Mountain *

Drums grumble nonstop in the capital city Deaf man march Where shall I lend my small but mighty might? To what deity or boneyard shall I make my deepest bow? … hungering for empty belly empty of hunger A single bell rings Shall I keep still? Retreat to the mountains? Grab my pen, ink overflowing? Or let life’s canvas go on scrolling its vast emptiness? The cries of the world lament louder than ever Sorrow and tenderness burst beyond any known self Odysseys and homecomings may both lead heavenward or astray Was there ever an elsewhere to escape to? If so, what a tiny portal it must be by now If the sage was planning to return, now would be a good time Yes. Now.

*Han Shan was a legendary 7th century Chinese sage and recluse. He took his name from Cold Mountain, the refuge he called home, where he purportedly left his poems scrawled on the rocks.

Kitty Costello


contents of issue 11

What the Photographer Said
MK Chavez

October Waits
Caledonia Rattling Gourd Brown Bull

Musings
Roopa Ramamoorthi

Communion
Vincent Calvarese

the sixties again
Casandra Dallett

Oceanus
James Cagney

Reading Cold Mountain *
Kitty Costello


Kitty Costello Biography

coming soon


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