{\rtf1\fbidis\ansi\ansicpg1250\deff0\deflang1033{\fonttbl{\f0\fmodern Courier New;}{\f1\fswiss\fprq2\fcharset238{\*\fname Arial;}Arial CE;}{\f2\fnil\fprq2\fcharset2 Wingdings;}} {\colortbl ;\red0\green0\blue0;} \viewkind4\uc1\pard\ltrpar\f0\fs20\par \f1\fs28\par \par \par \par \pard\ltrpar\qc\cf1\f2\fs96 [\cf0\f1\fs28\par \pard\ltrpar\par \par \par \par \par \tab\tab\cf1\b BUDDHA COW,\b0 by Roger Fritz, 10-15-00\par \par \tab The patient cow slips from the fog into my reality.\par \tab She comes from a reality where mud is everwhere and\par \tab ferns are taller than her back.\par \tab I can see her approaching because there's a pale light\par \tab in the air between her horns.\par \tab She brings the mud with her,\par \tab and I open the gate.\par \tab A brace of wild turkeys pace beside her.\par \tab They are sober and intent,\par \tab taking their guarding duty seriously,\par \tab even though it's honorary.\par \tab As she goes by, the cow gives me a thought about the buddha.\par \tab Buddha in the world of fog is a red cow with a bent horn,\par \tab and she leads the herd \par \tab (like a blanket with many feet)\par \tab over the rocky hills to sunlit grass.\par \tab Buddha in my reality is an old cowpoke who\par \tab laughs himself sick over the ways of humans,\par \tab but I recognize the same twinkle in their eyes.\f0\fs20\par }