A Reversal of Purposes

Can I learn
to do more than 
hit myself over the head

with the koans that I scratch
into my zennish stick? 

Can I walk
with the stick?

Can we see the leaves
shimmering, stuttering,

stating the case for the sky
and the trees
outside the claws of competition?

Can I write statements
that bring abatement
to my denials of joy?

Or could I do ten better
and undo the those fetters

giving lift and life 
to the words that so far
have mostly works the knife?