What a Buddhist Knows - Samsara Revisited

I am not a Buddhist But a friend of mine you see Is a student of the Dharma And passes on to me The wisdom of the ages To help me understand That though there is suffering There’s also goodness in the land Suffering the product of envy pride and greed Subject to Karmic forces both good and bad indeed To help diminish suffering good Karma is required In striving for enlightenment we also are inspired To think right thoughts do right deeds and speak only of the truth But idealism optimism all easier found in youth Seems to fade with age, experience and onslaught of nightly news But still many try to find the good and build more positive views With succor in religion through life they try to face The misery and suffering so rampant in life’s race Like Buddhists Christians Jews and Muslims who all see a better place They depend on the good we do right now to earn reward and grace So all the world’s religions depend on another life To rescue us from ourselves and hunger thirst and strife But I am not a Buddhist a Christian or a Jew I’m forced to face the facts of life that seem to be too true We’re stuck here in Samsara with no hope for some relief From all we do to ourselves that cause us so much grief All the Karmic forces that drive us to despair Greed corruption affliction overwhelming everywhere But in the end we can depend on relief from all discouragement Because in the end it's all too true that all things are impermanent Life will end and with its' passing peace will finally reign Relieving us from misery suffering and pain Unfortunately for the Buddhist death is no way out He’s forced to return again and again to try to work things out An eternity of attempting to overcome our nature Never even coming close to avoiding all the danger Of being reborn into a world becoming stranger and stranger The mess we created is here to stay No matter how hard or much we pray So my advice to you while you still have life.... Appreciate the gift Enjoy what you can It’s part of the plan And try to give others a lift Howard Tunick May 2015