Sunday September 19
*
A glimpse
up toward the span
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 descent
over the pass of Dresel La
to where nomad tents
of the hair of yak
rest like bits of mounded shadow
beneath Kawalungring mountain light
Thence to a place
where crumbling ruins of stone
stand beneath the sky
once the voices of three hundred intoned
to cadence of giant tungchen horn
gyalin cymbals and sacred drum
sacred texts that came to life
in doing so to thence go forth
into the worlds of illusion
to liberate the lost
And words flew back and forth
in animated debates
with laughter at the occasional
humorous inconsistency
in courtyard with columns
of gilded and painted wood
beyond the doors with their
latches of wondrous ornamented brass
festooned with bright kata scarves
that swayed with each arrival
into this place the Joro Gonpa
All this now still
in the mountain wind
in an age of war and strife
naught left but remnants of the life
that brought harmony
to this rocky land beneath the watchful
brooding eyes of mountain deities
from within their abodes of stone
but their energy
yet is still here
We make our way
to rest awhile
amid the noises of goats
and sheep as they mill about
in dark yak tent
drinking butter tea
beside the flickering fire
to hear for a time of winters harsh
and legends still known of time’s beginning
of warring beings
before the Tibetans came
first arrows flew in winged flight
from bows of the Nojin Nagpo
fierce beings of Zangyul Gyenme were they
Then axes clashed and clanged
against themselves, the stone and living flesh
of the Dud of Dudyul Kharak Rong-gu
Until the slings of bones and catapults
of the Sin of Singpo Nagpo Guyul
ascended to mark their end
Then sharp swords glinted in the light
as the Lha of Lhayul Gung-tang
shrieked cries of battle enraged insane
beneath the mountain sides
upon the grassland plains
Until the lassos with sharp bony hooks
of the Mu gyel flew through the air
as the curses of their shamans swept
from one village to the next
for the power abused they
until the bolos corded with smooth ground stone
whipped and twisted to mark the day
of the canyon dwelling Dre
Then the clamor of shields and armor
heralded arrival of Masang brothers of Bod
and their dominion over the Land of Snows
until strange beings arrived
that could change their form and thus confuse
and so the Lu of Bo kham Ling gu
came to take their place
Until the Gyelpo ancient Kings
of Dempotse reached out to conquer here
struck down by Bewitcher demons the Gonpo
who came with the guile of the clever
yet the fools intemperance
Until finally the heirs of Monkey
and Ogress of Zodang Gongpori
walked upon the earth
We rise and look out beyond
fringe of travel worn cloth
look beautiful one
mah gi stretched out beneath the sky
it’s Joro Lake
a vision of sparkling blue
where once the great flocks flew
in great spirals over the vastness
as they always did to honor her
slight gentle form beneath the sky
she whose song of mystery
and wonder still fills this sacred space
for surely Yeshe Tsogyel Padmsambhava
came to rest beside this place
a sanctuary for winged creatures once was this
before their fleeting lives for men
became measurable in yuan
yet her compassion is felt here still
and those that remain
and still can fly here do
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 uplifted gentle dignity
that endures with patient grace
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 16
* courtesy of A Luminous Diamond (Bright) Crystal Show productions.
reference material for the poem is courtesy of the Footprint Tibet handbook by Gyurme Dorje.