The sky is powder blue
The sun, unnaturally bright
A silver disk of light
Melting the few remaining patches of dirty snow
There is a buzz in the air
And birdsong
The feeling of spring, and joy
At its early return.
Saturday, March 6, 2021
Observation - March 6th, 2021, Saturday
Siddhartha Ulysses Gateaux, born in Minneapolis, Minnesota (April 1st, 1969) to French/American parents. A lifelong resident of South Minneapolis, Historian, Philosopher and Theologian and Poet, educated in the Benedictine tradition, master of Buddhism in the Zen-Sufi tradition, Buddha at Large, Co-Founder of the Zen Syndicate Intergalactic, Neighborhood Buddha and the People's History Project, teaching history of religion and providing spiritual direction.
Saturday, February 6, 2021
Observation - February 6th, 2021, Saturday
It is cold outside, but the sun is shining
The sky is striped, blue and white
I can feel the cold coming, seeping through the windows
The sun’s light through wavey glass
Snow clings to the limbs of my tree
Each flake a tiny prism from which the sun light leaps
And there is hope, today in America…there is hope
Siddhartha Ulysses Gateaux, born in Minneapolis, Minnesota (April 1st, 1969) to French/American parents. A lifelong resident of South Minneapolis, Historian, Philosopher and Theologian and Poet, educated in the Benedictine tradition, master of Buddhism in the Zen-Sufi tradition, Buddha at Large, Co-Founder of the Zen Syndicate Intergalactic, Neighborhood Buddha and the People's History Project, teaching history of religion and providing spiritual direction.
Wednesday, January 6, 2021
Observation - January 6th, 2021, Wednesday
It is cloudy in Minneapolis, a gray day in America
The capital is occupied by terrorists, insurrectionists
A coup de etat is being attempted in America
Shots fired at the capital
A woman rolls past the cameras on a gurney
Her face bloodied, gravely injured
Terrorists have occupied the floor of the House
The Senate chamber is under their control
Trump supporters flying Trump flags wearing Trump hats
A bunch of brown shirts, chickens come home to roost
The mob is fighting the capital police
Reports of flash bang grenades
The final process of ratifying the presidential election has been
upended
The clock is ticking, they have five days to complete their work
Siddhartha Ulysses Gateaux, born in Minneapolis, Minnesota (April 1st, 1969) to French/American parents. A lifelong resident of South Minneapolis, Historian, Philosopher and Theologian and Poet, educated in the Benedictine tradition, master of Buddhism in the Zen-Sufi tradition, Buddha at Large, Co-Founder of the Zen Syndicate Intergalactic, Neighborhood Buddha and the People's History Project, teaching history of religion and providing spiritual direction.
Saturday, December 5, 2020
Observation - December 5th, 2020, Saturday
The floorboards are creaking above me
A reminder that I do not really live alone
Kitty is curled up in a ball on the couch
I hear the deep rumble of engine outside
Small branches swaying in the light breeze
Dark slender finger, against the pale sky
There is laughter somewhere down the block
People are walking outside, riding bikes
There is no snow on the ground, no ice
It is warm for Minneapolis in December
Siddhartha Ulysses Gateaux, born in Minneapolis, Minnesota (April 1st, 1969) to French/American parents. A lifelong resident of South Minneapolis, Historian, Philosopher and Theologian and Poet, educated in the Benedictine tradition, master of Buddhism in the Zen-Sufi tradition, Buddha at Large, Co-Founder of the Zen Syndicate Intergalactic, Neighborhood Buddha and the People's History Project, teaching history of religion and providing spiritual direction.
Thursday, November 5, 2020
Observation - November 5th, 2020, Tuesday
Coffee on the terrace of the penthouse
Morning on 49th Street, Radio City
Rockefeller Plaza, a few hundred feet away
Columns of concrete, glass and steel push up into the powder blue sky
Green-copper spires reflected in mirrors one thousand feet tall
Their soft patina wavering in the sunlight
A curious pigeon comes to greet me
The sounds of the city are pressing
A steady drone of HVAC permeates the atmosphere
Sirens wail and saws whine, over the drone of engines
As the arhythmic clang of steel on steel fills the air with hollow
waves
While all around me hammers fall
The city hums with a ghostly bustle
Siddhartha Ulysses Gateaux, born in Minneapolis, Minnesota (April 1st, 1969) to French/American parents. A lifelong resident of South Minneapolis, Historian, Philosopher and Theologian and Poet, educated in the Benedictine tradition, master of Buddhism in the Zen-Sufi tradition, Buddha at Large, Co-Founder of the Zen Syndicate Intergalactic, Neighborhood Buddha and the People's History Project, teaching history of religion and providing spiritual direction.
Monday, October 5, 2020
Observation - October 5th, 2020, Monday
The air is warm this morning
Unseasonably warm for October
My windows are open
And Kitty is talking about rabbits
In the quiet morning
Beneath the cool blue sky
The sun still below the horizon
As Venus fades quickly in the light
Siddhartha Ulysses Gateaux, born in Minneapolis, Minnesota (April 1st, 1969) to French/American parents. A lifelong resident of South Minneapolis, Historian, Philosopher and Theologian and Poet, educated in the Benedictine tradition, master of Buddhism in the Zen-Sufi tradition, Buddha at Large, Co-Founder of the Zen Syndicate Intergalactic, Neighborhood Buddha and the People's History Project, teaching history of religion and providing spiritual direction.
Saturday, September 5, 2020
Observation - September 5th, 2020, Saturday
The long September sunlight
reflects off the sandstone and red brick of the building across the street, filtering
back through the green leaves of the maple outside my window.
The window is open; there is
traffic on Bryant and a rhythm to the sound of tires on pavement, as car after
car rolls by; Kitty is sleeping on the ledge by the sill, curled up on her
side.
I see patches of blue sky through
the limbs of the tree.
The air in the apartment is cool.
There scent of cinnamon and cloves
lingers in the air, I made eggrolls.
Siddhartha Ulysses Gateaux, born in Minneapolis, Minnesota (April 1st, 1969) to French/American parents. A lifelong resident of South Minneapolis, Historian, Philosopher and Theologian and Poet, educated in the Benedictine tradition, master of Buddhism in the Zen-Sufi tradition, Buddha at Large, Co-Founder of the Zen Syndicate Intergalactic, Neighborhood Buddha and the People's History Project, teaching history of religion and providing spiritual direction.
Wednesday, August 5, 2020
Observation - August 5th, 2020, Wednesday
The scent of
garlic and curry the apartment
I made a pot
of lentils
For the
first time in weeks the air conditioner is silent
The windows
are open for a cross breeze
A dappled
light comes in through the east windows
Filtered through
the green leaves
Kitty is
complaining about the taste of medicine in her food
The dry and
dusty chondroitin that helps her with her joints
Siddhartha Ulysses Gateaux, born in Minneapolis, Minnesota (April 1st, 1969) to French/American parents. A lifelong resident of South Minneapolis, Historian, Philosopher and Theologian and Poet, educated in the Benedictine tradition, master of Buddhism in the Zen-Sufi tradition, Buddha at Large, Co-Founder of the Zen Syndicate Intergalactic, Neighborhood Buddha and the People's History Project, teaching history of religion and providing spiritual direction.
Sunday, July 5, 2020
Observation - July 5th, 2020, Saturday
It is late
in the afternoon
In the condo
all the shades are drawn down
The unwelcome
sun is beating
Hard on the
bricks and brownstone
The air conditioner
fills the empty space
Cool air and
ambient noise
Kitty is curled
up and sleeping
Siddhartha Ulysses Gateaux, born in Minneapolis, Minnesota (April 1st, 1969) to French/American parents. A lifelong resident of South Minneapolis, Historian, Philosopher and Theologian and Poet, educated in the Benedictine tradition, master of Buddhism in the Zen-Sufi tradition, Buddha at Large, Co-Founder of the Zen Syndicate Intergalactic, Neighborhood Buddha and the People's History Project, teaching history of religion and providing spiritual direction.
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