Love Stripped Naked
and Transcending
Guatama leaves his palace and wanders
From his wealth across the plains, sits beneath
A tree in calmness made of mind, ponders
The cosmos, blasting pleasures, lasting pains,
And settles on the center of a flower.
It grows from slime and into peace. The Christ
Withdraws his soul into the desert’s power
And chastity to sharpen for the tryst
With Satan’s lush temptations. He prevails
With starved tranquillity. Beside a pond
The homely bearded Henry David flails
Philistine greed and reaches out beyond.
St. Francis ties love all together. He
Takes up the rags which make serenity.