Sunday September 12
*
A glimpse
forth upon the span
to the leading light of my long day
slight gentle beautiful determined bright one
swiftly making her way
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 descent of the Yalong Dza Chu
as it cuts through the icy rock
of mountains Kawalungring
Look beautiful one
yahn tso way up there
above our sight we strain to see
over sixteen thousand feet in height
snow mountains as they reach
glinting up to merge complete
with the vast brilliant blue sky
Beneath us the water sparkles
swirls, gurgles and roars
leaping above the stones
as fountains to the deities
amongst the rock worn but a fraction more
than on the day it glittered
when Yeshe Tsogyel Padmasambhava
made their way into the mountain fastness
from the valley of Nyarong
then sudden descent of mountain storm
they to make their way
to scant shelter
perched perilously
but a span from yawning darkness
of the fall a thousand feet
to the sheet of ice below
There sheltered from the tearing wind
in the dark
through rocky crevice
They looked out upon the falling snow
as the rattling of rocks
from distant ledge sounded
as the wind groaned on
here the voice for beings
demons in eternal torment
Yeshe sang for them
of flowers on a summer day
swaying in gentle cooling breeze
and warmth of homes they once
had known millenia ago
before they lost their course
and of the way to peace and freedom
from which none are left behind
Vast sky returned again
in Nyarong far below
Yalong Dza chu glimmered brightly
the wind to gently stir their hair
the whisper of beings freed
gentle fervent eternal thanks
its faint mist their tears of joy
this place to become
Hor Trewo
the Chakdu Kawalungring
place where Buddha speech
manifests in enlightened active form
Far below
Yalong Dza chu flows to
the place they call Barshok
where once a chieftain
with voice fierce and proud
rallied tribesman to his flame
they so tough that for their camp
but barley straw threw they
upon the ground as relief for prostate huddled form
how laughed the citadels to whence they came
at such ignoble things
until they rose with bitter steel
Twenty six years they fought
to conquer all about them
until finally to meet defeat
their unyielding leader Nyarong Gonpo Namgyel
to meet horrible fiery end
in the fortress of his name
Alas the terrible fate
when the wondrous power of speech
and mind lashes out in strains of might
to give rise as to demons on darkest night
lost in mountains snowy height
many lifetimes for him to return
to the path of peace
brought to his council fires
by the heirs of they that once came
to bring peace to the mountain storm
but someday he did or will
for the Bodhisattvas will remain
for none are left behind
All this not so wonderful
to my straining eyes
as your gentle serious smile
as beautiful as the rainbow
on a stormy day
with determined beauty
and swift uplifted grace
that endures with patient dignity
this that I see in you
beneath the open sky
on this mid afternoon
of our summer 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
September 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.