First Thought, Best Thought: 108 Poems

Here
is a unique contribution to the field of poetry: a new collection of works by
America's foremost Buddhist meditation master, Chögyam Trungpa. These
poems and songs—most of which were written since his arrival in the United
States in 1970—combine a background in classical Tibetan poetry with Trungpa's
intuitive insight into the spirit of America, a spirit that is powerfully
evoked in his use of colloquial metaphor and contemporary imagery.

Most
of the poems were originally written in English—clearly the result of the
author's own perceptions of new forms and media offered to him by a different
culture. Each poem has its own insight and power, which come from a skillful
blend of traditional Asian subtlety and precision combined with a thoroughly
modern vernacular. Several of the author's calligraphies accompany the
collection.