The Flower Sermon Poem by Etienne Charilaou

Once long ago a flower was held aloft,
and a sleeper awakened at the sight so soft.

The Buddha it was who held the flower wild,
and it was Mahākāśyapa who smiled.

Thus it was that zen began.
Wordless, outside of scripture, it ran.

Bodhidharma, a great luminary brought
‘direct pointing to the heart of man'
and in China began Chan.

Flowers can be seen by us all,
thus enlightenment anyone may befall.