Sunday July 18
*
A glimpse to
whence
the leading light of my long day
slight gentle beautiful determined bright one
has made her way
she firmly alone firmly herself
leaving a silent bright affirmation
beneath the open sky
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 from Sershul
to Zhiwa upon the plain
Look beautiful one
there are fields here
tended thousand upon thousand years
on thin hard earth newly tilled
a Tibetan stands his face alight
with smiles behind his two great yaks
as they lumber along
dragging simple plow of wood and iron
yet how fabulously bedecked are they
from horn to horn a
graceful span of red cord
festooned with tassels of blazing red
and out across furrowed expanse
a staff of prayer flags
whips and swells to and fro
into the wind
Then the climb far above
to Dogon Puntsok Dargyeling
of Sakya lineage
blue grey blends into the sky
as though in that very spot
it touched rock face
to change it's form
Many images and temples are there here
tangkhas poised above the stones
as they have since ancient times
when with ground herbs
and precious stones
with pigments were they adorned
in colors glorious
with images of fearsome deities
There a temple stands
ground before it worn
from centuries of the reverent
for this is the temple
of Vajrayogini
Queen of the dakini
dancers of the sky
fair to behold is she
yet with scolding countenance
to chide those who perchance
lose their purpose their humility
in robes of finery
Once beside a river
fierce over the stones it flowed
as though pelted from the mountains high
from the hands of angry deity
Two monks came to it's shore
struggling to find
a place to cross
finally to decide
upon that spot where water boiled
but slightly less
And there before them in filthy rags
a huddled abject figure
from it cracked and feeble voice
begged safe passage
across torrent raging
the first looked down
only to recoil
for what a sight was this
Leprosy is not kind
to the form on which it feeds
with no feeling does it begin
then consumes the flesh
fingers toes then hands and feet
to finally preside in grim satisfaction
over destruction of the face
once loved by those it knew
With haste he pulled his robes
about him to stumble to the rising river
barely to escape
to the far side
Thinking that it was a shame
that some should have to suffer
the anguish of lower births
how fortunate he
had come to follow
doctrine of Lord Buddha
The other clumsily began to follow
not so stately was he
not so profound his knowledge
nor excellent his discourse
yet in the presence of human anguish
he could not leave
and gently he carried this being
so horrible to look upon
on his back to the river's edge
where the water now flowed smooth
above the stones
it's force now hidden
the warning gone
more deadly it's immensity
Struggling in the middle
his robes billowed out in current's grasp
where strongest was it's pull
Then the slip from treacherous stone
too large to overstep
to slippery for the feet
he looked up at the last
to the unfortunate being
upon his back as in hopeless apology
to start in amazement
for above him a radiant being
dazzling beautiful beyond compare
how she laughed then
Vajrayogini loves such things
and up from the river they rose
into mountain sky
to the wondrous paradise where she reigns
in voice above the river's roar
what of my companion
with a playful tap on his cheek
she smiled and said
Oh don't worry about him
he'll make his way
not terribly long from now
a lifetime or two at most
for were he not very far along
he'd not have seen me at all
A quiet patient time apart
even when not 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
July 16
* courtesy of A Luminous Diamond (Bright) Crystal Show productions.
reference material for the poem is courtesy of the Footprint Tibet handbook by Gyurme Dorje.