Sunday August 28
*
A glimpse
forth to the base of the steep climb
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 Serkhyem la
Steep the path here is
and so on it we go
along the rocky slopes
first one way
then the next
to switch back
then back to the first way
on and on
as we descend
To rest beside
a place where the path
makes it's turn
looking far out
to where Namchak Barwa
and Gyala Pelri
rise magnificent over
great Brahmaputra river
Torrent coursing at their feet
amid the steaming jungle
glowing clouds floating
in the vast blue sky
upon their crowns
where alpine plants
cling to crevices
beneath the freezing wind
Then to continue on
to valley of the Rong-chu
where the flowers bloom
we to walk amid
blazing glowing dark red
rhododendrons
so close the bushes press
about our shoulders
that slowly we must go
amid this glorious place
where the cool breeze
dries the sweat
upon our foreheads
And the water flows
from within the rocks
with a carefree trickling sound
glittering in the mountain light
each pebble a smooth worn
polished gleaming world
alight with bits of color
like primeval mani stones
wrought at the worlds beginning
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 22
* courtesy of A Luminous Diamond (Bright) Crystal Show productions.
reference material for the poem is courtesy of the Footprint Tibet handbook by Gyurme Dorje.