Panda

“Yesterday is history,
tomorrow is a mystery,
but today is a gift.
That is why it is called the present.”

Master Oogway in Kung Fu Panda

An ode to Po, the kung fu panda bear:
If only you were real. The world needs you,
Not because it’s overrun by jealous
Leopards, peacock warlords, or yaks returned
From spirit realms, nor for your gravity-
Defying fighting skills, but for your joy:
The way you eat a dumpling, praise the Five,
Appreciate with true disinterest,
And overcome “the darkness with delight.”
Show me an action hero who pursues
The good, the true, the beautiful with more
Contagious zest and zeal. An antidote
For antiheroes, Po, your joy’s your strength.

(Spring 2016)