Sunday July 10
*
A glimpse
forth on the rise up to 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 the Litang Chode
south in the valley
where the Li chu flows
Through the grasslands
of Gyawa it goes
sparkling beneath the mountain light
a world of swaying stems
beyond number
bend and rise
against the blue
of the mountain sky
in the wind
on and on
as they have
for so long
it seems forever
To make our way
over mountain pass
four thousand meters
thirteen thousand feet is it
among great trees
and rocky crags
cracked and bleached
in the mountain light
To great expanse
of the valley of a river
that has no name
to the north it goes
we to the south
to the place they call Chaksum
Then up from the plain
to climb amid the trees
of gorge that rises
into the lands between
where the Dza
and Dri chu flow
Look beautiful one
beyond those trees
yaks mill about among the rocks
scattered among the grass
we can hear their grunts
rise up to us
and goats that spring about
here and there
before the dark tents
nearby
for nomad homes are they
we rest there for a time
before the fire
to hear spoken in hushed tones
of place strange
the place they call Dabpa
to it we make our way
Step by step
until we stand
high upon a plateau bleak
where sheets of ice
coil and twist
across the land
as if in homage
to the Naga kings
the most ancient
in Tibet are they
to us comes the sound
of the wind as it blows
the rock into air
imperceptibly
and the faint sound
scarce heard but in our minds
peals of laughter
quiet words
clinking of stone on stone
a flash before our shamanic sight
of glittering zhi
turquoise
dazzling diamonds
and flowing hair
shining eyes
immortal graceful visages
of they who amuse
themselves here
creating creatures and flowers
in the very rock
through the aeons
they smile
and toss
the dust of stone toward us
that glows as the vision fades
we to see
but the surface bright
of a myriad of lakes
that gleam beneath the moutain light
still to feel their comforting graceful presence
for they remain here
to bring cheer to the wandering pilgrim
with creations wondrous
the Tso of Sangtobla are they
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 afternoon
of our summer of working
and waiting
and weaving
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 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.