Poem - Escape the Lie

“Escape the Lie” is very roughly about the Buddhist concept of grasping mind, “to grasp after one thing after another, finding nothing ultimately satisfying”. (http://buddhaspace.blogspot.com/2009/09/grasping-mind.html)


Escape the Lie

Have you heard the joke about the world?
the one with the twist at the end
people seeking what they don’t have
as the goal defies what is sought
the balls are tossed into the air
manipulated, yet out of control
juggler wearing faces from the wall
yours or mine, it matters not.

When the bitter meets the sweet
attention seeks the next best thing
first the one, then the other
each is precious, but not enough
there is the slow, source of peace
and the fast, rush of passion
the middle is a valley of discontent
where life waits, not sure of which.

Some will say there are two foes
each asking friendship with a catch
embrace salvation, suffer now
or run wild, then burn in Hell
I have to wonder where I am
torn in two between the gents
one leg roasting in the fire
another across the Pearly Gate.

The world spins in jugglers' hands
up and down, side to side
asking nothing, wanting all
seeking an avenue to find our groove
when sleep is the most precious end
escape from tiredness of waking life
punchline for the jest I shared prior
I'll lay my head down to escape the lie.

© 2017. Sean Green. All Rights Reserved. 20170614.