Can Buddhists Wear Mascara? (and Other Things I've Googled)

By Jenny Noble Anderson

Can Buddhists Wear Mascara? features narrative poems deeply informed by the author's life. Through an unapologetic exploration of her own contradictions, Anderson highlights dualities that live in all of us. Her humor (and occasional irreverence) softens the edges of truths that otherwise cut too close to bone.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Wayfarer Books
• Release date: Apr 16, 2024
• ISBN: 9781956368949

Jenny Noble Anderson

Jenny Noble Anderson is the award-winning author of But Still She Flies: Poems and Paintings and Can Buddhists Wear Mascara? (and Other Things I've Googled). Her work has been featured in The Breakwater Review, (a) river rising: Anthology of Women's Voices, Moss Gossamer Anthology, The Eunoia Review and elsewhere. Jenny completed a B.A. in English and then shifted direction to pursue her Master's Degree in Clinical Social Work. After more than 15 years experience as a therapist and sobriety coach, she downsized her practice to focus on writing. Jenny lives in Florida with her husband and son. And yes, #itscomplicated.

Book preview

CAN BUDDHISTS WEAR MASCARA?

(AND OTHER THINGS I’VE GOOGLED)

© 2024 TEXT BY JENNY NOBLE ANDERSON

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All Rights Reserved

Published in 2024 by Wayfarer Books

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for Bjorn and Thomas

CONTENTS

SENSORY DESIRE

In Memoriam

Zone A

Summer, 1991

Womanhood

The Art of Masks

On Tending

Fashionable Dissonance

Dear Daughter

To My Husband’s Mistress on our 17th Anniversary

Victoria’s Secret

ANGER

Sunshine State

Crisis Client—9am

Anchoring

Nuts

Postcards—99 Cents

Burn

Yard of the Month

Data Point

Ledge

Florida

SLOTH

Confession

Artificial Intelligence

Waiting Room

Pressure Cooker

Immortal Jellyfish

We Used to Improv

Ragdoll

My Son Says

28 Days

Bluegrass on the Suwannee

RESTLESSNESS

Grip

Unmothered

Beached

Open Call

School Tie-Dye Day

Bridge

Ordering a Deli Sandwich in 2023

Inconclusive

Tutorial

Limbo

DOUBT

Faith

On Sinking

Unorthodox

Merry and Bright

Hide and Seek

Radical Acceptance Workbook Exercise 2b

The F Word

Sparkling or Still?

Closer

Love Poem

SELF-MASTERY

Hello, Teacher

Waste

Leningrad, 1952

Anatomy of Attention

Footprints

Her

The Boom Boom Boom

I Wonder, Hisao

Communion

Wish

Acknowledgments

Previously Published

Sources

About the Author

About the Press

INTRODUCTION

A grandmother is teaching her grandchild about life. A fight is going on inside of me, she says. It is a vicious fight between two wolves. One wolf is bad—she represents things like anger, regret, envy, and greed. She continues, The other wolf is good—she represents things like love, joy, hope, and kindness. The same fight is going on inside all of us—including you. The grandchild asks, Which wolf will win? The grandmother simply replies, The one you feed.

When I first encountered this parable in 2014, I was newly sober. At the time, the message felt straightforward—feed my bad wolf and suffer