Sunday January 11
*
A glimpse down
out across the open sky
to the light of my long day
slight gentle beautiful determined bright one
firmly alone firmly herself
to quietly remind me
that not so far away
for we two
our warm and bright
future day
and to her then to say
to tell of the long heavy laden journey
as the snows of winter fall
one hundred thirty miles from the Drangyer fields
of salt to the Precious Snow Mountain
lakes Raksas Tal and Manasarovar
Thence beyond Mount Nemo Nanyi
of staggering immensity
to rest beside the sound of running water
and for just an instant
wondrous birds appear
resplendent in plumage gleaming
in clear sharp mountain light
to become the rocks which stand here
They are peacocks beautiful one
spirits of Mabchen Khabab
For we’ve made our way
to the Peacock source
of the wondrous Karnali
that flows into the sacred Ganges
on plains of India
To the trading camp
beneath the caves above
where salt and wool from lands above
are brought for rice and sugar from lands below
then to look up at the dwellings
millenia old are they
to hear the sound of laughter
and quiet conversation from their walls
not a memory this
for this place where lived Sudhana
incarnation of the Buddha
is still a home to many
At one end of this ancient place
a family lives in dwelling spare
and above them in dark gleaming heights
Tsegu Gompa rises into the night
Nine story monastery with its
polished murals wondrous in form
in gleaming torches’ light
Thence down to the bustling Tanga
the Nepalese Bazaar
as the yaks shift and grunt
at relief from heavy weight
for the nomads great bales of wool
are unstrung through alleyways
in preparation for journey south
This most peculiar in a way
for not a roof is seen
and every house on every street
is covered by a tarpulin
They say this from treaty long ago
with Tibet and Britain
before India regained her own
So many wondrous things to see here
the glittering salt soft cotton ramient
of a thousand hues the barley
rice and saffron gifts of plants
from verdant land
of Nepal and India
and cooking utensils wares of every sort
humble and exalted
and gems coral turqoise sapphire
and zi the Tibetan gem
most prized with its mysterious
myriad of eyes
Even still gentle one
All this not this so wonderful
to my straining eyes
as your determined beauty
and gentle patient dignity
this that I see in you
through the snowy sky
of this winter day
Lotus blossoms rest
upon the window sill
and so we wait
two as one
we our effort
real and lasting
slight gentle
beautiful one
January 6
* courtesy of A Luminous Diamond (Bright) Crystal Show productions.
reference material for the poem is courtesy of the Footprint Tibet handbook by Gyurme Dorje.