Sunday August 21
*
A glimpse
forth out from 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 our arrival at Zangzang
from the great rocky ridge
Thence south to where
the Ding chu cuts deep into the stone
between it's banks of swirling dust
that rise into the mountain light
as bits of gold
floating in the air
Beneath us the shift
and grind of loosened stone
the sound as some of it slides
down the steep slope
far to Ding chu's banks below
in a steady rattling stream
we look down from whence it falls
not far from our feet
carefully we go
Then before us
a wide open space
the flash of color
wildflowers close to earth
perch amid the rocks
sheltered from the wind
beneath the mountain sky's
intense vast blue
Look beautiful one
over there
a form rises from the stony earth
it's a chorten stupa
of the design that we know
it's base a square to symbolize
the element of earth
then the dome
as the element of water
within it relics of sacred power
emanate an energy we can feel
as strong as the summer day
near a millenia ago
when reverent hands put them within
beneath the steplike shape
we see above the dome
fire symbolizing it
it to rise into graceful shape
as a parasol is it
to symbolize element of air
that rises up to a finely crafted ornament
as air does into space
the finial to represent
the vast and formless void
we pause for a moment
palms pressed tight together
in homage to this sacred place
To raise our eyes
move a few steps
to see another
and yet another
for the way is lined with them
chorten after chorten
of manifold wondrous forms
some of the classic shape
still others as raised mani stones
with painstakingly carved script
their blessings speaking
through the ages
and yet another kind
sog shing are they
like columns
carved as pillars
as though to hold aloft
the invisible roof
of wondrous visionary space
above the sound of the tunchen horn
and steady beating
of the drum
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 afternoon
of our summer 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
August 17
* courtesy of A Luminous Diamond (Bright) Crystal Show productions.
reference material for the poem is courtesy of the Footprint Tibet handbook by Gyurme Dorje.