Sometimes I hear my little
But probably annoying
Voice
From the past
Like when Gran explained
That Romani culture
(AKA Gypsy)
Taught that below the waist is
Mahrime, impure
But above is clean
No one is to touch below the waist
Except a husband, someday
So here is what I hear
From my young voice:
“What are the hands?
They are attached from above the waist
But hang below the waist
So are hands pure or impure?”
“Tachmo!” exclaims Gran
“Exactly!”
What?
Above or below?
Can’t she ever answer clearly?
Tachmo
Zen lesson number one…
© 2016 Clarissa Simmens (ViataMaja)
IMAGE: Koan—sound—free images
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