In Grateful Memory of Junpo Roshi

We remember our founder and roshi, Junpo Denis Kelly, on the first year after his passing (May 12, 2021). The lines of the following poem were contributed by sangha members in April 2021. The lines were edited and arranged by Vicara Roshi this April, 2022, in memory of his passing.

We invite sangha members to use the comments of the this blog post as a guestbook. Feel free to share your own memories, stories, or thoughts of Junpo Roshi.

Junpo’s legacy is continued by the work of Hollow Bones Zen, our roshis, priests, jukai, and sangha members. Consider donating your time, or contributing to our annual fundraiser.

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O dear Son of awakening…

Listen…the bell is being rung

Anata Abhara, beginningless gratitude, Baba

Death is weird

Grief a mystery

Both woven into the fabric of days…

Hot air breathing down my back.

Shaking the foundation of the heavens

A shooting star sealed the deal

Pure love, unmitigated focus with pragmatism

You! Yes, You! Your eyes, your heart

The light. Outside, Inside, Insight

No words, just love

For all Beings, this life is too important to be taken seriously!

Aged white wine

Two hearts remembering

Why this must change

Nothing lasts forever except love

Deep gratitude, deep bow, forever in my heart

Mischievous adventures…sharing so much of love

Unshakeable Patriarch. Love and gratitude for pointing the way

Not escaping anything: pain, rage, beauty, joy, love, death…all awareness forever in my heart.

A warrior of force and grace with eyes of mischief

Great humor, still nothing but love.

From deep practice, I, too, have grown Jun Po’s enlightened eyebrows…BUT maybe just the errant eyebrows of aging-HA!

An unbreakable chain endures.

Thank you for everything you have taught

Love & gratitude for all you have shared

This IS as bad as it gets

Seeing the perfection

Cherry blossoms fall

Volition and surrender

Gate, Gate, Para Gate, Parasam Gate, Bodhi Swaha!