The weekend before last, I had the honor and pleasure of staying two nights in the Guest House, in the center of the gardens. I did a lot of reading and writing, sitting and thinking; admiring the gardens; and soaking in the tub. Monday morning I woke up to a frosty wonderland, and took the above picture.
This poem is a piece of what I wrote during my stay. I hope you enjoy.
In the Guest House (pt 1)
To sleep and to wake
in an atmosphere
of such tranquility
and elegance,
simple and clean—
My bare feet adore
the feel
of the tatami
floors; golden
woven rush—
All of my senses
soak, and delight
in the wooden soaking tub—
To sleep and to wake
in an atmosphere
of reflection and repose
I think—
People are like plants—
we respond to our
environment—
Too much sun, a plant will die
Too little sun, a plant will wither
just the same
Just the right amount of sun, of water—
a plant will thrive;
We must recognize
that our environment—
the built world, the landscape
the sum total of what we call
“nature”
and what we call
“man-made” or “artificial”
In short, the space that surrounds us—
these three dimensions
we move through—
Our environment
is so vital
to our lives
to our beings…
Of course, to our bodies
as we breathe, in, out
as we walk, run,
and move, (or not),
as we eat and drink—
But also of course
to our hearts
and minds;
our moods
and tendencies…
We could shape this world
in any way we want
any way imaginable
we have that power
So, look around—
is this how we want it?
—Matt Eighmy
