WAITING FOR ONE'S TURN AT THE EXAM

I have tried to take some notes this time

waiting for my turn to ask my questions,

I found myself in the usual jumble of thoughts and reflections

typical of those moments in which nothing happens,

“When time stops and time is never ending” came too on my mind,

but as ever, lines like these sound too solemn in these moments,

the same as many other quotes, quotes, a lot of other quotes

that look for a rhythm, a reason; I think that most of the time

we all are in this In-between in which infinite fingers

drum on infinite tables and window-sills waiting for

a shape, a result, a proposition, a proposal, an issue, a sky.

Life can be only an inconclusive and incomplete river,

just this fluctuating thing. It’s when a joke, a smile, a caress, even a bang

can be so welcome because they interrupt the stream of nothing.

The stream no-stream we, subtly but definitely, most fear.

 

In it the Zen pupil can fall asleep and the Zen master is ready with his cane

on the pupil’s shoulder to wake him up to the nothingness, as if, as if, as if

just this empty, flowing anything were exactly all there is, including the illusion

that one day we can escape from it.

 

Well, that's enough...now it’s my turn, at last I am going to ask my question,

I look at the student, at this eager gaze, this sea of expectations.

My question comes, it wants to be inviting, words devouring stillness.

I don’t mind supposing silence will swallow us all.

Let’s cast out this further spark of syllables, this uttering forwardness.

 

This bait.

Nonetheless, this hope.

 

( In the meantime I want to express all my best wishes to David King)