Meditations on 99: Boat to River of Heaven                             for Harold A. Scheraga's 99th birthday Exalt our God, worship at his holy hill— Preserve us evermore, with blessings, I have come. I am a magician. I am complete. God, full of goodness and endless bounty. The holy ones find delight in the forest, always in constant spiritual prayers where they sing His praise, there I live with children playing upon the green. The sage does not rejoice in life, not disturbed by heat or cold, with inner light and enlightenment— Don't make anything. Don't hold anything. They are all here tonight— The jewels take root everywhere, turn our vision to the Primal Love— a boat to the river of heaven. From golddawn glory to glowworm gleam, from Heaven through Earth I see them— the blue sky, and in the mind of man, the fog blanking moon and stars. I shall take this harp of my life going to the river for water— Who dares enter the dragon's cave? a crow on top of pine tree "Caw! caw! caw!" The color like a thought that grows beautiful things— a dark flame, a wind, towers of pleasure, their ladders— violins with fragrance of the moon! We got out of bed, it was snowing, the wind lifts, the sky is very blue, the wild does not have words— our soul touches infinity in deep sleep.         Peter Y. Chou         Mountain View, 10-18-2020