Sunday April 11
*
A glimpse up
to the leading light of my long day
slight gentle beautiful determined bright one
firmly alone firmly herself
to quietly remind me
that not so far away
for she I we two
our warm and bright
future day
and to her then to say to tell
of how the wind flies up
from the Kyi-chu
to gently sway the willows
in front of Johkhang palace
stirring hair of the pilgrims
then whips down through the bridge
to set prayer flags in glorious colorful motion
thence up to the cliffs
a great curving ridge
stark white grandeur
dark hidden mystery
the caves of Drak Yerpa
Once the wind flew down
as lightening tore through the darkened sky
as deities of power struggled upon plateau
of the highest place on earth
and one of them lived here
at the peak of Yerpa Lhari
Quieter here now
for mountain deities but speak
through shamans in their humble huts
in foothills beneath the mountain shadows
or oracle in temple among the trees
and the caves became a sacred place
where came the minds and images
of the Tibetan faith
Look beautiful one there’s a small cave over there
darkened opening in glowing white stone
as you hold our light steady it shines upon
a figure wondrous to behold
painted upon the immortal rock
in the darkness
It’s the Dakini Simhamukka
a goddess of enlightened being
it’s said this visage came from no human hand
but appeared before the astounded eyes
of those who came here for her grace
she with sparkling eyes
that looks out from behind
the face of a lioness
Then to the cave of Chogyel Puk
where Songsten Gampo
Tibet’s great unifying King
sat in contemplation
his image once was here
and that of protectoress Shridevi
though now gone we can still feel
the sacred power of this place
as though nigh two thousand years ago
were but an instant past
Yeshe Tsogyel Padmasambhava
his student came here too
to leave footprints upon the stone
where they yet remain
beneath sculpted image of the enlightened sage
and the goddess Ekajati protectoress of
the teachings
her image also sprang from the rock
in answer to a fervent prayer
To Lhalung Puk and a darker age
when King Langdarma’s persecution
stretched far into Tibetan land
monk Lhalung Peldor found refuge here
later to return to assassinate the apostate king
with a single shot of a dark arrow
that plunged Tibet into an age of chaos
it’s teachings through hidden obscurity
somehow to stay alive
in the mind of masters far removed
in hidden texts beneath tree and rock
to return again with great sacrifice
Thence not far
the hermitage
of Atisha one who brought the teaching
back to this sacred land
at the sacrifice of King Yeshe O
and others of conviction
their gift lives on in the prostrating pilgrim
who travels the weary miles
a slight clink another stone falls
upon the mani prayer wall
again the faith returns
All this not so wonderful
to my straining eyes
as your determined beauty
and uplifted gentle dignity
that endures with patient grace
this that I see in you
beneath the open sky
on this cold early morn
of our spring of working and waiting
Lotus blossoms rest
upon the window sill
and so we wait
two as one
we our effort
real and lasting
slight gentle
beautiful one
April 7
* courtesy of A Luminous Diamond (Bright) Crystal Show productions.
reference material for the poem is courtesy of the Footprint Tibet handbook by Gyurme Dorje.