Sunday November 7
*
A glimpse
upon the steep climb
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 road
on the way to the village
of Minyak Dem Drongde
That winds it’s way
through the grassy fields
beneath the open sky
around each bend
the same
quiet and serene
silent but for the passing by
of a villager now and then
and trees rising from
the stony ground here and here
Suddenly before us
towering above the earth
Look beautiful one
it’s the stupa of
Minyak Chakdra Chorten
but what might
it’s purpose be
They struggled on
the children of Zodang Gompori
upon the roof of the world
pain and suffering never far away
but the day the yak slipped upon
the path barely to get it’s footing
before the precipice
it’s owner not so fortunate
from the edge his screams to
the others rose up
he caught upon a narrow ledge
tens of feet below
above a thousand more
they got him up somehow
but all through that terrible
night his groans of pain
broken in body was he
somehow he regained his strength
somehow he lived
though limping
to tell of the figure he saw
through feverish eyes
above the flickering fames
it was Bhaisajyaguru
first buddha of medicine
for though beyond all suffering
never far from the side
of those in pain
and the next day somehow
his companion knew
in her quiet way
that the plant they’d seen
a half mile back
would help to ease the pain
Upon the hard packed earth
in small hut in Chuzhi gangdruk
fingers clutch and claw
hollows in the earth
a body twisting and thrashing
not far now the end
for this lama who has lived his life
in compassionate thought
word and deed who
has in a final offering
given his life in exchange
for karma of villages
caught in the relentless grip
of small pox
an instant of ease
just enough
he to regain his concentration
to leave his body
as simply as disembarking
a worn out boat
into the clear nature
of his infinite mind
and Abhij nana naraja
second buddha of medicine
there to greet
him
Far out upon
windswept desolation
the flaps on a yak hair tent
whip furiously to and fro
the yak and sheep gathered
for shelter at the foothills base
beneath the lofty Kunlun
terrible their wrath
on this cold Chang Tang plateau night
but in the wind a flag
tied with fumbling fingers
of one who murmurs a desperate prayer
it to fly on through the storm
a being to come in answer
And at it’s end
nomads to survive
though terrible their pain
for the cold though it leaves them life
takes fingers and toes
turned as black as the weathered stone
that glints beneath the icy frost
beneath the mountain sky
one to crawl toward fire
to feed it’s flame again
there to see in the embers
unmistakeable a symbol there
burned into a stone
in a cracked feeble voice she cries
out courage renewed
for she knows that Shakyaketu
third Buddha of medicine
was with them all that terrible night
Five more of them are there
of the menlak deshek gye
Sun ama pari kirtana
Svara ghosar aja
Suvar nabha dravi mala
Asho kot tama
Dharma kirti sagara ghosa
they the buddhas eight of medicine
and it was along the quiet road
where sorrow seems not to come
that Tangtong Gyelpo
he of daring and skill
who sought to save
others who made their way
over the icy river's dance
with his wondrous spans of iron
built a stupa to they who yet abide
to ease the agony of the children
of Zodang Gompori as they do
for all that lives
All this not so wonderful
to my straining eyes
as your gentle serious smile
as beautiful as the rainbow
on a stormy day
with determined beauty
and swift uplifted grace
that endures with patient dignity
this that I see in you
beneath the open sky
on this morning
of our fall 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
November 3
* courtesy of A Luminous Diamond (Bright) Crystal Show productions.
reference material for the poem is courtesy of the Footprint Tibet handbook by Gyurme Dorje.