October 5, 2025

Tonglen Moon

Full Moon  October 7, 2025

When we experience pain for the world, the world is feeling through us. This is the central insight of the work: if feelings flow into us from the world, they can also flow back out again—they don’t have to get stuck in us.

—Joanna Macy

Fog falling roof, on leaves, predawn blue quiet

after recycling truck serenades slick hill block

I breathe consonants, sibilance to describe myself to you

O world of lefthand calligraphy & luminous water

to descend into myself with you surrounding

means receiving my breath as close can hope

gently just so—holding the real of it

(in this moment, together-alone)

O fullness beyond my capacity

release me into you

that we may take pain & send light

waking again, looking out

our courageous wind before ourself the sun

POEM BY
Qayyum Johnson
ARTWORK BY SUIKO MCCALL

Tonglen Moon, 2025.

Watercolor on paper, 8x6”

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