Lifetimes after lifetimes
\nIt could look like that
\nRolling by like mala beads
\nDeath and birth
\nBirth and death
\nOne before the other
\nThen another after
\nNow one leads
\nNow one follows
\nAll in their appointed orders
\nGood karma, bad karma
\nLeading and following
\nTicking past time
\nOne and the same<\/p>\n
Pleasing sounds of clicking beads
\nHoly fragrance of lifetimes past
\nReleased by thousand year old incense
\nRising on thin streams of smoke
\nThe discipline of every moment
\nVisions of smoke and butter lamps
\nThe guilelessness of hearts’ simplicity
\nFaith is the heart of what we do<\/p>\n
Whose nose is it that smells this now
\nWhose mouth and stomach starved for food
\nWhose skin burned and whose skin shivered
\nWhose eyes cry tears both then and now
\nWhose bottom presses rocks for comfort
\nWhose sweat washes the fruits for the children
\nWhose voices cry for others’ pain
\nMany pitches merge in devotion
\nMany voices chant with us<\/p>\n
A great ocean of devotion
\nFilled with love of many disciples
\nHolding together on windy seas
\nPraying not to lose their shape
\nCracking up on rocky shores
\nOf panic stricken continents
\nNot to let the hot sun drink our moisture
\nWe need the moisture to make our tears<\/p>\n
Where’s the bliss I heard about
\nI counted the beads and did the chants
\nWhere is it?\u00a0 Why can’t I find it?
\nIs it before each moment of lonliness?
\nI take refuge in Buddha’s wisdom
\n\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0
\nTo follow the path of devotion and wisdom
\nWhich was laid out for us so clearly
\nA red ribbon road of endless curves
\nBlood red, we have to face it
\nEven if the day is lightless
\nEven if the night is darkless
\nWith every being known or unknown
\nWith every being seen or unseen
\nOpen to all we do not know
\nWe have faith in Buddha’s wisdom<\/p>\n
Madeline
\nJanuary 2010
\nNova Scotia<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Lifetimes after lifetimes It could look like that Rolling by like mala beads Death and birth Birth and death One before the other Then another after Now one leads Now one follows All in their appointed orders Good karma, bad karma Leading and following Ticking past time One and the same Pleasing sounds of clicking […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_FSMCFIC_featured_image_caption":"","_FSMCFIC_featured_image_nocaption":"","_FSMCFIC_featured_image_hide":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-981","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-poety"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n