A Little Chinese Bowl

A reddish-brown earthenware little bowl
With white long Chinese letters painted on the front of it,
Looks somewhat like an elaborate, wide egg cup to me.
It is painted dark green.
Its greenness follows the shape of the bowl
And ends in a complete, open circle—
Ready to receive the world and especially that which it has
room for.
Its base is about one-eighth inch wide,
And the outer curves become the base, or the curves grow
out of the base.
It is an important object: small, graceful, perfect.

From Personal & Impersonal
© 1959 by Terrain Gallery