The Intruder (+fr, es, pt)

The intruder is always within us,
an indeterminate incubus.
Will it go away with morning sun?
But wait! There is more than one!

L'intrus est toujours en nous,
un incubus indéterminé.
Va-t-il disparaître avec le soleil du matin?
Mais attendez! Il y en a plus d'un!

El intruso siempre está dentro de nosotros,
un incubus indeterminado.
¿Se irá con el sol de la mañana?
¡Pero espera! ¡Hay más de uno!

O intruso está sempre dentro de nós,
um incubus indeterminado.
Será que vai desaparecer com o sol da manhã?
Mas espere! Há mais de um!

Text and image © 2020 by Donald C. Traxler aka Donald Jacobson Traxler.

The Spirit Is Stronger Than the Body (+fr, es, pt, eo)

The spirit is stronger than the body,
and will surely survive.

L'esprit est plus fort que le corps,
et survivra sûrement.

El espíritu es más fuerte que el cuerpo,
y seguramente sobrevivirá.

O espírito é mais forte que o corpo,
e certamente sobreviverá.

La spirito estas pli forta ol la korpo,
kaj certe pluvivos.

Text and image © 2020 by Donald C. Traxler aka Donald Jacobson Traxler.

The Hawk Looks Down (+fr, es, pt, Udugi, japanese)

The hawk looks down
as we look up,
both seeking nourishment.

Le faucon regarde vers le bas
pendant que nous levons les yeux,
tous deux en quête de nourriture.

El halcón mira hacia abajo
mientras miramos hacia arriba,
ambos buscando alimento.

O falcão olha para baixo
enquanto olhamos para cima,
ambos buscando nutrição.

ᏔᏬᏗ ᎭᎦᏔᏎ ᎡᎳᏗ
ᏀᎢᏳᎢ ᎢᏧᎳ ᎭᎦᏔᏎ ᎦᎸᎳᏗ,
ᎢᎬᎳ ᎠᏯᏍᏓᏎ ᎠᏓᏍᏕᎳᏍᏙᏁ.

タカが見下ろす
見上げながら
両方とも栄養を求めています。

Text © 2020 by Donald C. Traxler aka Donald Jacobson Traxler.

I Welcome You

I welcome you
to the intimacy
of our home.
It may be a wild ride,
but we have nothing to hide
either below or above:
we are just old people
who are still in love.

Text and image © 2020 by Donald C. Traxler aka Donald Jacobson Traxler.

His World Is Multiplanar

His world is multiplanar,
and tied together
by love.

Text and image © 2020 by Donald C. Traxler aka Donald Jacobson Traxler.

Exiles

We are all exiles,
and only love
can lead us back
to our country.

Nous sommes tous des exilés,
et seulement l'amour
peut nous ramener
à notre pays.

Todos somos exiliados
y solo amor
nos puede llevar de vuelta
a nuestro pais.

Somos todos exilados,
e somente amor
pode nos levar de volta
para o nosso país.


Text © 2020 by Donald C. Traxler aka Donald Jacobson Traxler.

Journal of a Naked Poet XXIII - Hinduism

One of the influences on me was Hinduism. In Hinduism it is often said that there are three paths to liberation: the path of karma, which is action or work; the path of jñana (gyana), which is knowledge; and the path of bhakti, which is devotion. I think the first two are more or less self-explanatory, but the third is often misunderstood.

It is not the ishta devatá, the chosen or desired deity, that saves or liberates; it is the devotion itself. The devotees are already liberated by their devotion.

In the end, it is love that saves us.

Text © 2020 by Donald C. Traxler aka Donald Jacobson Traxler.