Sunday June 12
*
A glimpse
forth toward the rise 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 our walk across the stony ground
beneath the mountain light
to the Shakya Tubpa Podrang
Upon the very hallowed ground
that the temple
three hundred years before
echoed with the sonorous chants
of hundreds of voices
And the benevolent gaze
of Jowo Shakyamuni
looked out upon the aspirants
sitting upright in contemplation
as he Jowo Shakyamuni once did
beneath the Bodhi tree
and attained escape
beyond the reach of pain
then returned again
to liberate
Look beautiful one
within temple on this very spot
just inside the door
it's the Guardian Kings
of the four directions
that we know
they look upon us sternly
for a moment then nod
and motion us in
to where Jowo once again
sits in serene splendor
Just beyond we see
him as the Buddha
with his practitioners round about
each of wondrous attainment
and in the shadows we see
two gleaming stupa reliquaries
that emanate still
the energy
of those who led
the hundreds who came
to the exalted gates
of Litang Chode
And upon the walls
he and Tara and Tsongkapha
gaze out at us
their voices bring a quiet ease
so unknown in the lands beyond
where beliefs are shared
with the unwilling
with the force
that harms the body
and torments the mind
for they in quiet gentleness
speak the words
do not accept that which we say
simply upon the face of it
investigate it
within your mind
and contemplate
and prove it for yourself
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 spring 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
June 6
* courtesy of A Luminous Diamond (Bright) Crystal Show productions.
reference material for the poem is courtesy of the Footprint Tibet handbook by Gyurme Dorje.