Lady yin + lord yang

Empty Vessel (2019), Ray Vespe

This poem was created for, and concluded, my keynote address at the 15th annual taoist gathering at the taoist center in oakland last october. After preparing the address, I was reflecting on yin and yang relationships and the words lady and lord came into my awareness. I looked up their etymological definitions in the dictionary, and lo and behold and much to my surprise, discovered that the root meaning of lady is "kneader of bread" and lord is "keeper of loaves"! This poem naturally unfolded from that truly amazing and delightful moment of discovery.

Empty Vessel

Vespe, Ray

2019

English

Empty Vessel

Poetry

3

15

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