Sunday March 13
*
A glimpse
up toward 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 the way
from Nakpak tso
to the city of Gyeltangteng
Before us rises
the dust of sintered stone
over the plain it comes
ground from the mountain heights
by the ice and wind
over millenia
Where buildings stand in crumbling ruin
along the road scarred
from that time not so long ago
when the land shook
as in a mountain deity's towering rage
and the streets rose as waves
upon a lake and buildings fell
to peices before cracks
that opened to the very depths
of earth
and bustling activity
of rebuilding is seen everywhere
Look beautiful one
above the streets over there
a place of healing stands
Hospital of Traditional Tibetan Medicine
where five elements
earth fire water wind and space
are balanced within those who come
for healing to it's doors
where a figure stands
motionless above a reclining form
taking the pulse
but not merely one but several
in those few moments to be learned
the basic strength
the effect of time and season
then for each in turn
the parts of the body
as they work to sustain existence
in material form
Upon another Tibetan
come for ease and help
smoke curls above smouldering substances
burned just above the skin
the energies to permeate
at points upon the body
where effect helpful is greatest
and in another room
row upon row of drawers
each carefully labelled
filled remedies created from the plants
that grow here in such a myriad
of wondrous forms
skillfully compounded together
with minerals and rare substances
by those who follow the compassionate way
imbued with the wisdom of
the peerless ones
And there upon a hill
not as high as some
Dokar Dzong is being rebuilt
within it's hall the images
of Yeshe Tsogyel Padmasambhava
Avalokiteshvara
the Buddha Shakyamuni
the four guardian Kings
and Tara Dolma protectoress
in her forms
of green and white
to grant longevity and safe journey
through a strife torn world
All this not so wonderful
to my straining eyes
as your determined beauty
and uplifted patient dignity
this that I see in you
on this cold afternoon
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
March 7
* courtesy of A Luminous Diamond (Bright) Crystal Show productions.
reference material for the poem is courtesy of the Footprint Tibet handbook by Gyurme Dorje.