We make every effort to keep things as they are,
because human beings, alone, lament transience.
Yet no matter how we grieve or protest,
there is no way to impede the flow of anything.
If we but see things as they are and flow with them.
we may find enjoyment in transience.
Because human life is transient,
all manner of figures are woven into its fabric.

by Shundo Aoyama,
Zen Seeds - Reflections of a Female Priest

III

Owl, still the reader,
was lost in his book
as Coyoté quietly approached.

Coyoté sat behind the creosote bush, waiting.
Owl turned a page.

Coyoté watched from behind the creosote bush.
Owl read more, then stirred the stream with a stick.

Coyoté sat behind the creosote bush, waiting.
Owl muttered, "Time! What is time?"

Coyoté waited behind the creosote bush, watching.
Owl flung a pebble into the stream, and muttered, "What sound!?!"

Coyoté watched from behind the creosote bush.
Tossed sage leaves in the stream.

Owl jumped, paused, stared.
Coyoté waited behind the creosote bush, watching.

Then he said, "Nuts!"
Loud.

Owl stared.
Turned.
Muttered.

Coyoté said, "You have the time?"
Then darted away
as Owl flew
into a rage.

Coyoté just said, "Nuts!"
And kept running.