Beginner Mind

The title is derived from Zen Mind, Beginner Mind by Suzuki Roshi. Doubt if this is what he had in mind, but this is my experience of the Beginner mind, or lack thereof :)

Beginner Mind

I remember the time
when I thought the next line
would take me to enlightenment.
Or the next breath
Or the time I stubbed my toe like in those zen stories
Or jumped up at the sound of a bird
Or thought that the occasional rapture
would last forever
Or moments of selflessness had forever
overcome my selfishness
Or built beautiful castles on the zafu
and thought I could live there forever
Or that teachers were magical.
Now I know better
but that knowledge has turned into a veil
or even worse, a wall.
I miss the innocence of running
like a child exploring
expecting
to bump into enlightenment
around the corner.