"OUR LOVE"

There should be no fear
in our love for one another
For our Love is as pure and and soft
as freshly fallen snow

There should be no doubt
in our love for one another
For trust is the spiritual bond
that keeps us together

There should be no sorrow
in our love for one another
For joy is what keeps
our hearts alive

For your love, your trust and the joy
I found being with you
thank you

@j monteleone

Life and Buddhism

We mustn't seek that which was yesterday
Nor wonder what tomorrow will give
But rather to see this day clearly
And find in it reasons to live

We mustn't let problems confine us
Nor doubts and illusions sink in
But rather to seek out the wisdom
With faith as our strength we will win

The road to our lives is a tough one
With obstacles all of the way
But in using the Law as our beacon
We can stand and challenge each day

So be patient and trust the Gohonzon
and try always to keep it in sight
For it's only with strong daimoku
That darkness will change to light

@j. monteleone

"IF"

If you stop and listen carefully
you cannot help but hear
the beating of my heart

If you open your life to me
you must trust me with
your deepest dreams

If you let me into the depths
of your entire being
you will never again be alone

If you trust me with your love
you will never regret
my being in your life

If you reach out and touch my life
you cannot help but feel
the depth of my love for you

@j monteleone

"A WORLD APART"

"A WORLD APART"

I sit in a room full of strangers
Some are family, some friends
But strangers none the less
They talk, they laugh, they argue
They whisper secrets to one another
I am part of them - and yet I am

A WORLD APART

I have taken the first step toward death
My final journey through life
And though I have not yet passed
I am neither here nor there
Asleep or awake, Yin or Yang
I am merely

A WORLD APART

Some might say In acceptance I am already dead
Except I still feel pain and confusion
Emptiness and loneliness
My emotions run the gamut
From the Ridiculous to the Sublime
Sadness to elation and still

A WORLD APART

Apart from every day happenings
A recent invitation
A birthday, a gathering
Apart from things that once
Seemed important
But no longer are .. Being

A WORLD APART

I know that I am not afraid to die
I 'm afraid of living with the knowledge
that I am dying
To know that soon I will never again
See the sun rise or set
nor the moon and stars brighten the sky
Or never again to hear the laughter
Of children as they move innocently
through their childhood

A WORLD APART

I think now of my past and of all
The things I should have done
but didn't
The things I dreamed of doing
but constantly let other
things get in my way

There were times when dying
looked sweet
A way out , an escape
From all my sorrows, and all my pain
and my troubles
Which at the time seemed so insurmountable

But now that dying
is my reality
I WANT TO LIVE
ONE MORE YEAR, ONE MORE MONTH
ONE MORE WEEK, ONE MORE DAY
ONE MORE MOMENT

To see and touch and experience
All of Life and all that it holds
All of it's beauty
To LIVE and ENJOY and EMBRACE
All my family and friends
And no longer be

A WORLD APART

WHEN I LOST YOU

When I lost you
I wandered aimlessly
In and out of moments
With no direction
As if in a maze
With no start or finish
Just Walls
No doors or windows
To let in the Sun
And brighten my life

When I lost you
I lost the sparkle in my eyes
And the warmth of your touch
Upon My heart

When I lost you
I lost my best friend
I know in my heart
I will see you again
And in that moment
I will be found
And we will be together again
Forever

j. monteleone

TO MY DEAR FRIEND ELEANOR

You cannot fly with me my friend
And see the world grow small
As I soar thru the night
Toward the stars

But think of me often
Especially when the sun rises
And the new day begins
And life is good

Think of me often
Especially when the sun sets
And darkness covers the sky
And life is good

Think of me often
When you look at your life
And you begin to chant
And life is very good

'THE NIGHTMARE"

This Poem was written in 1970. I was still struggling with the sudden death of my brother Vincent. He was my best friend and I went into a deep depression. I had nightmares every night for years. They had the same theme, different settings, and always I woke up screaming. Lasted a long time until I met the sweetest man. His name was Paul and he introduced me to Buddhism, a truly life altering move on my part. It saved my life.

THE NIGHTMARE

It is the screams that wake me ..
pulling me up from the
dark abyss of my mind
Gutterlal haunting screams ...
of pain and fear ...
sounds of another world

I awake but can not move ...
paralized from head to toe
stuck in a moment of time
Unable to open my eyes
for fear of validating
the crime unfolding

My heart pounds in my chest ....
so loud I cannot think ....
so hard I fear it will explode
Slowly I open my eyes
to search the room...
for the intruder ....
the raper of my life

And there in the darkest corner
a shadow ... moves ....
threatening ... ever posed
to lower the knife.....
Fear takes over....I cannot not scream....
There is no voice ... no sound ...
just fear uncontrolled....

There... there in the corner ....
Oh no....no....
My God NO!
A coat ... a chair,.... a flickering light
Shadows .... not a crime
A NIGHTMARE


j. monteleone

"MY SOUL"

My Soul

My soul is the energy of the wind
As it rushes thru the trees
Tearing leaves from branches
Thrusting them into the air yet,
My soul is as gentle as a breeze
That captures the leaves and
Gently floats them downward
Placing them ever so softly
On the ground below

My soul is like a burst of light
Flashing thru the night
Like lightning in a storm
Quick and sudden and loudLike the echoing clap of thunder
Yet silent and still like the calm
That is before the storm arrives

It is the heat of the sun
And the coolness of the night
My soul is and always will be

jo monteleone