Bricks

Bricks that tell a story fired in stone,

clay from other ages, tapestry sewn

fine, hard linen all in a day’s work,

never seem to weaken 

while cold dead men shirk

the will to contain what we all hold dear

standing up against the outside,

it’s inside we should fear.

Billy Radd

Asheville

Of Color In Color

Curves around and about

the shapes of colors 

moving in circles 

around the walls 

of my inner space 

bouncing like golden balls 

leaning to and fro 

from the amber glow 

of a soft light

catching a slice 

of dark rainbow

in a bottle

Billy Radd

Asheville

The Eternal Circle

The Eternal Circle

Everywhere runs the Eternal Circle

No stopping, only moving

No regress, only advancement

No ending, only renewing

With beauty even in decay

New life

Lies soon ahead

Billy Radd
Asheville

Way of the Bicycle

Way of the Bicycle

Playing music, dancing, or riding a bike all model The Way of Tao.

When you play music or dance

or run down a road 
you are “in the moment”

on the cutting edge of time

like a flying bird, or a swimming fish, 

or a child riding a bike to school.

After you learn how to ride a bicycle

you don’t have to think about 

pushing down with one foot 

while relaxing the other, 

keeping both feet on the pedals, 

running into a curb,

or balancing.

You can do it automatically after some practice

and whistle a tune or talk to a friend

at the same time

without concentrating on 

not falling off your bike.

Following your own life path can be similar.

After you learn how to follow your own way, 

you don’t have to think about every choice

you must make in life.

You can do it automatically after some practice

and whistle a tune or talk to a friend

at the same time

without concentrating on

not falling off your path.

Billy Radd

Asheville

A Little Yin In Your Yang?

A Yin & Yang pendant I recently made for Anita Gayle

In Taoist philosophy, Yin (negative) and Yang (positive) represent the two complementary forces that make up all aspects of life.

Yin and Yang, never static but in a constantly changing balance so that nothing is totally Yin nor totally Yang, are interdependent but cannot exist without each other.

Yin is a symbol of earth, darkness, passivity, absorption, slowness, softness, and thus, yielding, diffused, cold, wet, and passive, epitomized by even numbers, streams and valleys, and represented by the color orange. Yang is thought of as heavenly, light, active, fast, hard, solid, and thus focused, hot, dry, aggressive and penetrating, illustrated by odd numbers, mountains, and represented by the dragon, and the color blue.

Yin and Yang symbols typically have a small dot of each opposite color contained within the other's larger colored area to symbolize that there is a bit of yin within yang and visa versa. This is meant to be a reminder that all of existence is constantly evolving and changing. And, that each side always contains the potential of the other, as night turns into day and day into night.

Improving the World

29

Do you want to improve the world?
I don't think it can be done.

The world is sacred.
It can't be improved.
If you tamper with it, you'll ruin it.
If you treat it like an object, you'll lose it.

There is a time for being ahead,
a time for being behind;
a time for being in motion,
a time for being at rest;
a time for being vigorous,
a time for being exhausted;
a time for being safe,
a time for being in danger.

The Master sees things as they are,
without trying to control them.
She lets them go their own way,
and resides at the center of the circle.

From Tao Te Ching
by Lao-tzu
From a translation by S. Mitchell

Almost Sometimes

Almost Sometimes

Words like “never” or “always” are traps

into thinking that time is absolute

not like a leaf
floating down to a stream

then riding on the surface

sinking to the bottom

dissolving on its way

to the open sea

Billy Radd
Asheville