I would like to end with a poem called "california lessons."
Since I've been in California, I've learned a great deal.
And I am constantly embarrassed about what I did not know,
coming from the East.
I can remember when I, for instance, could not distinguish
between Chinese people and Japanese people,
and I am embarrassed about that.
I learned a lot of good stuff.
"California lessons."
One: geography.
Let's see, what you should know here--
do you know who Gautama was?
Siddhartha?
He was the one who was enlightened and became
the Buddha.
And well, I'm a great believer in karma, and I'll say that.
One: geography.
Over there is Asia watching from the water,
astounded as Siddhartha.
Over there Asia, waiting in the water for what
is surely turning on the wheel.
Here is California, swinging from the edge
of the darkening of America.
And over there sitting patient as Gautama
enlightened in the water is Asia.
Two: history.
The Miwok-- these named are peoples.
History.
Guard your language.
What bird remembers the songs the Miwok sang?
Guard your life.
Pomo, Shasta, Esalen.
These were peoples, not places.
Three: botany.
Quote, "All common figs can produce fertile seeds
if the flowers are pollinated," end quote.
In Concord, in 1985, a Black man was hung from a fig tree.
Quote, "The fruit is dark and sweet," end quote.
Four: semantics.
In 1942, almost all the Japanese were concentrated into camps.
Internment, but no doctor came.
Five: metaphysics.
Question, what is karma?
Answer, there is a wheel and it is turning.
Thank you very much.
[APPLAUSE]