Sunday May 22
*
A glimpse
forth
to the leading light of my long day
slight gentle beautiful determined bright one
patiently making her way
she 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 the climb up the hill
to where the stones
of massive gate
absorb the warmth
of the mountain light
Look beautiful one
its the gate of the Litang Chode
wondrous place of Geluk lineage
within it edifices four
rise above the stony ground
before our sight
We step within
startled for a moment
to our shamanic hearing comes
terrifying sounds
we look upon the door
sacred portal to a great assembly hall
Sendong guardian deity
with a lion's head
roars out from the space
as Takdong snarls with sintering growl
a tiger's face looks out at us
and Domdong snuffles grunts and rumbles
massive bear headed deity
They look upon us for a moment
then quietly bid us enter
to this place they call
Jangchub Chokhorling
our eyes rest in the darkness
slowly the sight returns
as dim forms about us grow
before us just beside the door
dances about
dark blue deity with a head of bull
whirling club and snare
within his grasp
fearsome yet but reminder
to inner concentration
its Yama Dharmaraja Shinje Chogyel beautiful one
protector deity
beside him leap and pace
the two Mahakalas one with arms four
the other with six
and from the left comes yet another
Mahakala with arms two
Beside him stands Aksobhya Mikyopa
of brilliant blue
within his hand a vajra gleams
and vibrates with an inner power
that emanates from the compassionate mind
that sees true nature of all things
he to gaze upon us
then quietly smile
and motion to where
the thrones of wondrous practitioner leaders
Dalai Lama three
Dalai Lama fourteenth of the present day
and Litang Kyapgon
mutely speak of they
who return
again and yet again
to bring the world of beings
beyond the reach of pain
All this not so wonderful
to my straining eyes
as your determined beauty
and swift uplifted grace
that endures with patient dignity
this that I see in you
beneath the open sky
on this morning
of our spring of working
and waiting
and weaving
Lotus blossoms rest
upon the window sill
and so we wait
two as one
we our effort
real and lasting
slight gentle
beautiful one
May 20
* courtesy of A Luminous Diamond (Bright) Crystal Show productions.
reference material for the poem is courtesy of the Footprint Tibet handbook by Gyurme Dorje.