White

They said I would burn

My whole forest
Not just one tree
Not just a few trees
But my whole forest
My entire forest of merits
With just a spark
Of anger.

White.
That’s the color of my rage.
It started simply enough:
I said something
Did something
Someone else said something back
Did something back.

And so it went
Back and forth
This anger within us.

A little spark
Now an unrelenting
All-consuming fire
Burning not orange
Not red
But Scorching White
Intensely White.

How silly

How ignorant
This anger within me.

I’ll grow another forest.
The one I burnt
Wasn’t that big anyway.

How silly

How ignorant
This anger within me
And you.

If this rage stays Brilliant White
There can never be another
Forest
Not with one seed
Not with hundreds of seed
Or thousands
For none will grow
When the anger is ever bright.

So stop the rage. Rain on the flame.
Put out each and every spark.
Better yet: Deprive it of air.
Let your anger go. Now.
This instant. Not later.
Not this afternoon.
Not tonight. Not
Tomorrow.
Not next
Week.
NOW.
Now.

N

o

w

But how?
We need help.
Look to Lord Buddha.
And chant Namo Amituofo
Namo Amituofo
Namo Amituofo
Chant until your face turns
Purple
And the White is no more.

Yes, it is much cooler now.
And a seed I see.
And my neighbor’s forest
Is safe too.

Yes, it is not just our forest

We should be concerned about
Is it?
Our neighbors’ must also be on our watch
For no forest is safe
If one forest is burning.

~ Alec Tan 

Comments

[Sue K]

Beautifully written and so true. I think it is interesting in this case to choose white. In Feng Shui, white is the color for death, which is why they wear red wedding dresses and do not like American white wedding dresses or appliances. It makes sense since ash is white and hot burning coals are white.

Yes, a spark. A moment in time for an instaneous change in direction. Moment to moment choices for us all.