avatarDaniel’s Poems

Summary

A poet reflects on a school field trip where students create Buddha statues from clay, symbolizing the act of letting go.

Abstract

During a field trip, students are given clay to shape into Buddha statues, an exercise that prompts a range of interactions and personal reflections. The poet, Daniel, describes the scene as students like Logan engage with the material, while others like Cole and Layla play with the parchment paper. Daniel himself molds his clay into a Buddha, paying attention to the details of the statue's hair and robe. The act of creation allows Daniel to disconnect from the outside world, focusing solely on the task and the students' safety. The poem also touches on the cultural significance of the Buddha, comparing him to Jesus but with an Asian identity. As the day ends, the students take home their clay fossils, and Daniel is left with a lesson on impermanence and release, as symbolized by the emptying of a plastic bag in the wind.

Opinions

  • The poet values the tactile experience of creating art with clay as a means of learning and introspection.
  • There is an appreciation for the cultural and religious significance of the Buddha, as seen in the careful crafting of the statue.
  • The poet implies a connection between the physical act of sculpting and the mental process of understanding complex concepts like the nature of the Buddha.
  • The experience of letting go is central to the poem, suggesting a deeper philosophical meaning behind the creation and eventual separation from the clay Buddha statues.
  • The poet seems to find a sense of peace and focus in the act of creation, which serves as a form of meditation or mindfulness.

Poetry On Medium

Buddha Statue

the making of one…

Photo by Thomas Oxford on Unsplash

first field trip of the year. everyone’s given a fistful of clay.

Logan asks the clay for answers to his tactile questions

and Cole and Layla absently play tug-o-war with parchment paper.

Roll your clay into a ball, says the woman in Khaki pants

as I split mine in half. one half becomes legs, the other — arms, torso, and head.

now flatten it into a pancake. I break off smaller pieces and roll them into spheres

to represent short ringlets of hair. some believe these are not hair at all but 108 dried snails.

I worked on my Buddha like a potted begonia, guiding and massaging its form.

the outside world was invisible, and I only stirred to answer

student’s questions and ensure no-one was standing on a table.

what is that? It’s the Buddha.

who’s the Buddha? He’s like Jesus, but Asian.

the students went to pet a mammoth femur. I used a pen from my jeans to carve eyes and detail in His robe.

latter that day, when the buses rolled back into school, Kyleigh held out a plastic bag

for everyone to claim their hardened fossils.

I watched as the bag emptied. finally, it rustled with the wind

as if my Buddha wished to teach me something about letting go.

©Daniel, 2024

Check out my poetry book “Facial Features” here:

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