Karma - Shakespeare's Monkeys

Karma

Do not attempt to fill this vessel
with paper roses
they will not last a moment
the torrid weather here

The water you bear will cry silver tears
through tiny fissures only to be lost
in these ageless sands
bring good earth and seed or nothing at all

It is content to hear the wind whistle
through its open emptiness
to stand still and sing
along to to the song of the changing times

Anstey -
That's a great opening line. I love the a zen-allusion without the battering ram. The somewhat-self-referential second line is also interesting. I do wonder if an 'in' is needed between L3/4

L1 of S2 niggles at me a bit. I'm not sure why. I think perhaps because I'm trying to figure out if the water cries or is cried, then if both meanings can actually come the way it is written or not. 'ageless sands' borders a cliche a bit tightly for my taste, but the next line is wonderful.

The Last stanza is very good. To me, I find a sort of imploring quality, "PLEASE LET ME BE CONTENT", as well as a statement that it is right to be so. It seems almost an affirmation. "I am the vessel, content with emptiness. Let the wind blow over me. Let the water flow through me. Let the life grow out of me."

Quite interesting Emily and good.

Aphasic -

Emily - your inimitable extended metaphor stuff :>
Anstey...I think you could read the first of those as:
"they will not last the torrid weather here (for) a moment..."
the second as
"will cry (as/in the form of) silver tears..."
Did you ever blow across the tops of milk bottles Em? That the sound I hear here (here, here).
A message for me, the analogous contrast between cut & dried/live wild flowers...