You must keep mind
the number of strokes
needed for each character
to complete the line
when loading the brush.

Clear thoughts applied
to unblemished paper
demand a steady hand
and a tranquil soul.

Few have mastered,
though many have tried
the art of making
themselves invisible.

polygraph & message
it reveals every character flaw,
every false sentiment,
every botched attempt to say what was meant.

All this shows in the flow
of the brushstrokes on the scroll.

starting at the top, then down.
going right to left.
the line is to be followed
like sheet music.
to be performed, rolled out in time
to be heard.

The best are able to convey
the weight of each thought
as the stroke glides across
the blank expanse —
the clearing in the wood
blanketed by snow.