Passenger Number Three

When searching for a dragon,

the one who sleeps at sea,

take sail with a Phoenician 

in a boat that carries three.

With you and the Phoenician,

of three, that makes but two. 

That which fills the space that's left

is woven from bamboo.

This basket's lined with mirrors

reflecting moon and sea.

This paper covered lantern

is passenger number three. 

Don't look into the lantern.

Ha! this you shouldn't do,

for all that you will find there

is a mirror holding you...

...alone with your reflection

in a boat that carries three.

Beyond your sight a dragon

crests the surface of the sea.

.......

(the moral of the story - when sailing with Phoenicians,
wait till you get home to look in the mirror.)

Of Veenas (and guns)

Jya ghosha is ancient Sanskrit for the twang of the bow string. The crack of a rifle is the result of a sonic boom.

You can unstring many bows, stretch them along a neck attached to a gourd and make a veena. You can leave the bow strung, add a gourd, and you have a berimbau. Pick up another bow, draw it across a lute, and you are using a fiddlestick. You can place one end of a bow against your mouth and play the umgunga. What can you make from a gun? 

Scholars disagree over whether the bow's first use was as a musical instrument or as a weapon. They agree in the claim that the origins of the gun occurred with the discovery of gunpowder during alchemy's search for immortality.  

The more modern the civilization, the more actively it seeks immortality through the breaking of sound than through its flow.

The History Of Moonstones

...and other earthly events.

When moon turned blue over the word "Lunatic!" 

and sun reigned oblivious to earth's dark side, 

dragon, in disgust over the word "Mythical!" 

left sky, went to ocean. 

There now drifts 

alone in sleep.

Moonstones were before that time.

Or, they could be dragon's tears,

molten droplets upon cold waters 

when dragon turned for one last look 

at the beautiful Luna 

over its left shoulder 

as it dove into the sea.

Or, they might be moon pebbles 

tossed by Luna 

to rouse her friend 

from the deep.

...