Sunday January 16
*
A glimpse
forth upon 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 where the Yu chu
flows beneath
a rocky promontory
where high above dwellings stand
fashioned of hand hewn wood
Look beautiful one
out upon that rocky spur
with the trees that tower up beyond
Its Wamda Tsawa Dzogang beautiful one
far above the roiling water
that flows over the rocks
on its way beyond where
great snow mountains of Kawa Karpo
cast shadows deep upon its banks
and soar into the sky
there a small crowd is gathering
as a lama intones sacred phrases
and walks with measured tread
a ceremony of shamanic power
for the benefit of all that lives
beneath the vast blue sky
the gyalins and cymbals sound
above the tunchens sonorous stream
amid the chanting voices
to the beat of sacred drum
the lama makes the round
about a stupa newly there
at its heart to be placed
prayers printed
with painstaking care upon
small bits of handmade paper
among sacred relics
there to create calm
amid the energies of chaotic power
that tear through this place
so close to ancient eternity
suddenly about him
silence but for the words
carefully intoned in his own voice
and the sound of gravel
beneath his feet
something has changed
a presence is now here
though the sky
still vast and blue above
and the wind stirs the trees beyond
here it is heavy dark confining
the pressing about as
walls of stone at mountains depth
Suddenly a figure jumps before him
gesturing in pantomime
his face twisted in expression
he tears a paper from where they
lie stacked upon low table
across from the sacred fire
to thrust it into the the lama's face
his fingers trembling
in rigid tension
the lama continues on
prayers and steps in stream unbroken
but gently taking each paper
thus violently proferred
his hand extends
each to vanish in glowing cinder
as the flame flickers
and grows faintly higher
the phrase ends the lama ceases
this portion of ceremony complete
to stand before the figure
scarce held by those who now
strain to hold him down
to address him in honorific respect
in phrases of Yeshe Tsogyel Padmasambhava
for an oracle is he
to bid him speak for spirit
already ancient when Tibet was but young
a huddled group of tents on a marshy plain
beneath a the tiny flicker of prayer flag banners
streaming in the wind
it to say in grating echoing voice of power
you have trespassed here
without permission have you made this change
you should have summoned me
Far to the south upon on the flanks
of Kawa Karpo a merchant makes his way
with grunting yaks heavy laden
but a few feet from the edge
above thousands of feet of empty space
murmuring a prayer
as his beads click within calloused hands
not far ahead
unknown to them rocks worn
from ceaseless passage of time and human tread
have shifted in their place
it will not hold this time
far below the glacier waits
smooth glinting hard as stone
At the sacred fire lama replies
unperturbably
This rite is for the beings
of all the realms of existence
you thus are welcomed as are they
we thus request your pardon
for our unintended slight
please join us if you will
aid us in this task
with your great power please be the guardian
of this our humble construction here
and our newly arrived faith
the spirit to growl in agreement
the oracle to slump to earth
the air spacious and calm once more
the ceremony to be completed
as above the Yu chu from rocky precipice
the trees stir and with a clinking sound
a few rocks fall to the water below
and in the mountains to the south
deep beneath the path a few rocks move
just enough
Bidden unexpectedly by a force
not that of mere gravity to wedge themselves
firm and fast unseen
the ground will not fail this time
it to break harmlessly when the winter snows
have closed the way to travel
and the figures tiny upon the heights
make their way to home
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 morn
of our winter of working and waiting
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 11
* courtesy of A Luminous Diamond (Bright) Crystal Show productions.
reference material for the poem is courtesy of the Footprint Tibet handbook by Gyurme Dorje.