<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div dir="auto" style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div style="margin: 0cm;" class="">All for You, Honored Ones</div><div style="margin: 0cm;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0cm;" class=""><div style="margin: 0cm;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class=""><span style="font-size: 14px;" class=""><i class="">The teacher Dongshan was washing his bowl by the river and saw two crows fighting over a frog and tearing it apart. The student asked, “Why does it always have to be like this?” Dongshan answered, “It’s all for you, Honored One.</i></span>”<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" class=""> </span></p><div class=""><span lang="EN-US" class=""><br class=""></span></div></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" class=""> </span></p><div style="margin: 0cm;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class="">First the monk asks<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class="">“Why does it always come to this?”<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class="">Then the teacher<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class="">“It’s all for you.”<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" class=""> </span></p><div style="margin: 0cm;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class="">The steps of the medieval church<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class="">Malachite of the Mediterranean<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class="">Below, the bridal party<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class="">Gathered. It’s all<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class="">For you.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" class=""> </span></p><div style="margin: 0cm;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class="">The child limp and lifeless<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class="">Another beach, the Mediterranean<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class="">Cobalt. The sky cloudless<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class="">Pitiless. It’s all<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class="">For you.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" class=""> </span></p><div style="margin: 0cm;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class="">Locked in our homes<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class="">Fearing the faces<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class="">Of friends, others. Fear<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class="">On our faces, hidden<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class="">Behind our plague masks.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class="">It’s all for us, Honored Ones.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" class=""> </span></p><div style="margin: 0cm;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class="">One day, we are the Frog<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class="">Feeling our joints torn<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class="">The body opening to<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class="">A heartless world<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class="">The place of no belonging<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class="">An alien inside our own <o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class="">Skin, a refugee,</span></div><div style="margin: 0cm;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class="">Ripped from home.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" class=""> </span></p><div style="margin: 0cm;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class="">Or today, we are the Crow<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class="">Ravaging, tearing to pieces<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class="">Others, remaking them into food<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class="">For infinite need, boundless greed.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class="">An invader, the conquerer carrying </span></div><div style="margin: 0cm;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class="">Chaos and terror like a torch.</span></div><div style="margin: 0cm;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class="">It’s all for us, the Honored Ones.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" class=""> </span></p><div style="margin: 0cm;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class="">Hungry or hunted<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class="">Observer or observed,<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class="">Crow, frog, sapien, or oak,<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class="">We are the Honored Ones<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class="">For whom Life presents.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm;" class="">Life in its many guises</div><div style="margin: 0cm;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class="">Including Death, fire <o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class="">Joy and change. All for you,<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class="">Honored ones.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class="">All.</span></div><div style="margin: 0cm;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class=""><br class=""></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>- Rebecca del Rio</span></div></div></body></html>