Sunday November 30
*
A rise up
beneath the open sky
in the middle of the afternoon
a glimpse up across the space
to slight gentle
determined beautiful one
firmly alone firmly herself
and to her then to silently say
to tell of the base of the Precious Snow mountain
and a grassy place
where pure water trickles across the path
and marmots gambol beneath
the clear blue white sky
Not so long before
the great prayer flag staff
with its gaily festooned height
beneath red rock ledge
covered with carved prayers
of the generations of pilgrims
Where it's said the Buddha and the five hundred
arrived through magical means
over lofty Himalaya
Now to pass beyond to
the great west face
triangular rock
overhanging snow
and the cave of the dri
the female yak
for the marks pressed
deeply through it's walls
so stern and dark
where a great student of
eternity once wrote
the first guide to these
surrounds
Thence to gaze upon the stark North Face
with its strange and oval eyes
where in those few places
the snow does cling
to five thousand feet of jet black rock
reaching up from the roof of the world
A day beyond
to the place named Silwutzel
sky burial place
the charnel ground
where the mortal shell
is respectfully returned
to earth as the spirit
goes to another existence
To star blue pool
and Tara's path
Protectoress of pilgrims
sustainer of their faith
oft the only shield between them
and fierce mountain cold
where the clothing they brought
all they had
is good for naught
but a warm if rainy day
yet it is enough
and they survive
unlike other less blessed places
in high places of the world
A steep descent
with springing leaps
from one boulder to the next
upon the great rockfall
beneath stone formed reminder
that prior acts
create future life
Lekyi Tare
Axe of Karma
and so to make leaps mindfully
to the Cave of Milarepa
with its nettles everywhere
that too grow up in
the Grove we know so well
a soup from these
sustained great seeker
so very long ago
Much to see
and much to know
still more to understand
before quiet descent to Manasarovar
the lake shaped like the sun
and all this not more wonderful
to my straining eyes
than the beauty and uplifted dignity
I see in you
on this cold fall day
Lotus blossoms rest
upon the window sill
and so we wait
two as one
we our effort
real and lasting
slight gentle
beautiful one
November 25
* courtesy of A Luminous Diamond (Bright) Crystal Show productions.
reference material for the poem is courtesy of the Footprint Tibet handbook by Gyurme Dorje.