DHARMA SPRING

A Tree Older Than the Grove

Andrew Palmer

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  A tree grew here before the grove
  its age is twice as great
  the shifting earth has gnarled its roots
  wind and frost have parched its leaves
  people scorn its withered outside
  no one sees its fine-grained heart
  but when its bark is stripped away
  what remains is real

-from The Collected Songs of Cold Mountain (Hanshan)
Red Pine (trans)

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