never be waiting.

if not walking then writing.
and if you don’t write then
you must get to work. work,
or collect alms on the walks.

write then and whistle,
as a surfing surfer surfs,
as a fishing fisher fishes;
just to do and be doing
that very thing, not to be done,
and never to be waiting.

exercise the skill, but
first exercise the moment.
ride each wave knowing
it can never be repeated
and will never rise again.
assuredly there will be
other waves - forget them.

play each line like your next
meal were hook’d to the end.
you won’t chop the string even
if the fish made a small dish.
the line must be reeled in -
perfection practiced in the present -
tomorrow, you may or may not catch
your leviathan but a hungry man
is grateful his bait has baited supper at all.

don’t wait for inspiration
in the next sunrise,
the light falls now:
it runs between your fingers;
so thickly, you can taste
the colorful smell like a velvet bell.
on your toes, tap the moment
swish an inky dagger;
swim, paddle, balance;
pull, tug, lead out, reel in.
let the words fall in place,
don’t chase every wave,
free every other fish.

- cjs. 7.20.10.