Sunday January 25
*
A glimpse
to whence
the light of my long day
slight gentle beautiful determined bright one
has made her way
on this cold winter morn
she firmly alone firmly herself
leaving a silent bright affirmation
beneath the open sky
that not so far away
for we two
our warm and bright
future day
And to her then to say to tell
of a courtyard filled with noise and bustle
beneath Johkang temple where the animals
all mill in helplessness awaiting sacrificial fate
and people posture in heat of the bargain
as the coin clinks from one purse to another
and ornate daggers hang from heavy belts
But look beautiful one, see how they all are led away
to graze beneath the open sky
to live out their lives in quiet peace unharmed
for the blessing here
is never given by taking life
but by paying ransom to spare it
in the courtyard of Sitar
Then heartened by this kindness
to patiently walk the nanghkor the inner walkway
of Lhassa about this wondrous temple
as the pilgrims travel here
with hands raised to brow
to heart then to the earth in prostration
on their faces upon the ground
in a way that still yet makes their intruders uneasy
with souls feeling hidden shame
if their hearts are not yet hardened
more than the stones
polished smooth from the centuries
of this expression of Tibetan humility
Then to push the prayer wheels
of gleaming red and gold
to send blessings out to all that lives
among the thousand images of the Buddha
with accompanying finery
and it’s chapels round about
and in one a painting of the saint
Padmasambhava
then another, then another
there are ten thousand beautiful one
each in perfection rendered
scarce a difference between them
to be seen at all
in a tribute
to the possible
for the goodness of human heart and mind
Then to quietly rest beside the willows
that sit outside the gate
The first was brought to the Tibetans
by the Queen Wen Cheng
Tibetans preserved it to the last
and a trace of it remains
The ones about were planted there
brought by the Tibetans in tribute then to her
for the gifts she brought to the King
for them that remained through the passing time
though the destruction of ages and hardened mind
that descecrated courtyard the stones that lined
the passage round this gift
to all Tibetans near and far
A quiet patient time apart
even when scarcely seen
still gentle hearts 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
January 21
* courtesy of A Luminous Diamond (Bright) Crystal Show productions.
reference material for the poem is courtesy of the Footprint Tibet handbook by Gyurme Dorje.