Sunday September 26
*
A glimpse to
whence
the leading light of my long day
slight gentle beautiful determined bright one
has made her way
she firmly alone firmly herself
leaving a silent bright affirmation
beneath the open sky
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 from Joro lake
to the valley of the Zhe chu
twelve miles to a place
hewn from the mountain stone
of Trewo
Look beautiful one
there are ruins here
Once the Quosot Mongol chieftain
ruled from this lofty place
with walls of stone raised up so high
to see the top strained neck and eye
now birds flit here and there
upon the light bleached stone
as they perch to rest
among the trees and upel
flowers that grow here
with star blue graceful spires
that stir with gust of wind
All about flat top houses
stand among the exalted ruin
Tibetans living quiet lives
in abodes from the very earth
upon which mounted horsemen
once rode upon their way
to an audience with the powerful ones
Chinese live here too
in abodes built
but a short time ago
compounds of concrete brick
painted white with sloping roofs
arrivals of the present day
Then upon the Zhe chu
as it flows upon it’s way
to the Yalong Dza chu
there far up upon the promontory
standing there in all it’s glory
stood a castle
it’s vantage point
reflected in it’s name
Drango Dzong
head of the rock
Tibetan name for it
invincible fortress
until the forces
of Nyarong Gonpo Namgyel
overran it’s battlements
Now it’s a modern town
it’s buildings now replaced
for but a few decades ago
the earth shifted in a great earthquake
reducing all to crumbling ruins
Now high rise concrete buildings here
share the streets with shops and restaurants
karaoke bars bus stations cinemas
law courts and prisons
banks and video parlours too
High above all of this
Drango Gonpa
Geluk monastery
sits upon the stone
with it’s great main hall
with pillars sixty three in all
a teaching throne at it’s head
and along it’s walls
in woven Chengdu brocade
a thousand visages gaze out at us
each one of the Buddhas
that have come or someday will
to this earth in this aeon
a time almost immeasurably long
of compassion immeasurably vast
With Mahakala wrathful deity
six armed to guard the door
Within this place there are temples
Dolma Lhakang Tara’s temple
and Guru Lhakhang
Yeshe Tsogyel Padmasambhava’s temple
glow with yak butter lamps
to beckon to the patient pilgrim here
Tsongkhapa Gelukpa founder’s figure rests
and Jowo Shakyamuni
he who became the Buddha
And from stone windows
through which mountain light
streams upon the stone
far below the glinting flow
of Zhe chu flows into the Nyi chu
as they have since millenia long before
the people of the monkey and ogress
came unto this earth
A quiet patient time apart
even when not seen
still gentle heart’s vision
And so, we share this time together
slight gentle one
as we rest easy
as our plan grows
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 23
* courtesy of A Luminous Diamond (Bright) Crystal Show productions.
reference material for the poem is courtesy of the Footprint Tibet handbook by Gyurme Dorje.