They say that it is as easy as the moon’s
reflection in a drop of water to meet the great
Buddha himself. I met him once, for a moment or
two, walking with two big shopping bags down 14th
Street and First Avenue in New York. I remember
it was raining slightly and the end of August. I was
wearing a short little pink thing, which I bought at the
GAP, and couldn’t afford it but I splurged anyway. I was
thirty-something and crying like I was three, but it
was okay because the rain hid most of it. I was
walking so fast it was almost a run, and almost knocked
him down if I hadn’t stopped short and our eyes
met, and I recognized him immediately. I was
shaking to the bone and it wasn’t really because
of the short pink thing or the rain. I just left him behind
me, with all the screams and illogical words that
people speak to each other when it’s all over, or they
think it’s over, but the Buddha took my hand now and
seemed to know where I’ve been and the illogical words
spoken and all the screams, and then he put his other hand
over mine and asked me to calm down and said how much
he looked forward to seeing me at school in two weeks, and
then I just stood there in the rain and watched him for just a
moment walk passed me to the corner and cross the street going
home with those two big shopping bags, while I walked so slowly
and carefully now in the rain to the subway.
Cynthia Andrews is a veteran of the NYC poetry circuit, and has had readings in such venues as The Knitting Factory, Cornelia Street Café, St. Marks Church ,and The Nuyorican Poets Café, where her performance was one of the first to be archived at Poet’s House. She is the author of two chapbooks and this is her first full collection of poetry. She has been widely published in various literary journals and anthologies, including ALOUD: Voices From the Nuyorican Poets Café, The Voice Literary Supplement, The 2020 Beat Poets Anthology, Long Shot, Red Fez and Tribes Literary Journal. She has been a favored guest poet on cable TV and radio, including Teachers and Writers in the Morning and WBAI New York. Nominated for a Pushcart Prize twice and a finalist for the Downtown Year of the Poet, she holds an MFA in Creative Writing and resides in Queens, New York.
Greg Turlock is a published poet, author and photographer. His credits include “Rivers of Life”, award-winning poem from the 2019 Alberta Arts Awards, “Hightops in the Snow”, his new young-adult novel, “Prairie Survivors” photo essay in High Shelf Press and “Beauty from the Underworld” photo in Tiny Seed Journal. Greg lives in Parkland County, Alberta CANADA www.gregturlockcreative.com
Button Eye Review 