Phil Whalen, Zen Master, Meets Orlando Cepeda, First Buddhist Elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame

by Mikhail Horowitz

Does a Baby Bull have Buddha nature?

Not even the wind,
fluttering prayer flags
in the abandoned grandstand,
can say.

Peanuts and popcorn
in your begging bowl,
a pinecone nestled snugly
in your glove.

How many times being hit by a pitch
until you gained enlightenment?

379 homers? Or
379 drops of rain
pelting a temple bell?

Photo by the author’s sister.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *