"pagodas" poems
I see the beauty in a palm‑sized tomato
growing afloat on Inle Lake—
the one-legged fisherman
silhouetted, perilous
against his wooden boat,
against the slow-setting sun.
Thin echoes of beauty linger:
hundred-year ruins, temples, stupas
standing with pride,
The culture of longyi
worn with quiet delight.
I took the train that loops
through buildings, markets, houses, plantations—
a city, a country
shadowed by a darkness
yet to reckon with its genocide.
The cries rise, unacknowledged.
“Mingalaba,” says a Burmese lady,
her face painted with thanaka,
the ground bark a pale mask
in the sun’s scorching glare.
She sits near Dyamayanggi Temple,
a basket of snacks at her side,
offering them with a smile.
Joy comes chasing the sunset
in the land of a thousand pagodas.
A mystical climb,
a striking landscape.
I breathe, feel, wish to stay longer,
soaked in twilight.
For a fleeting moment,
with eyes closed,
I drown in the colours
of the golden sky.
Aug 2, 2018
Aug 2, 2018 at 10:03 PM UTC
ACROSS the flat and the pastel snow
Two people go . . . . 'And do you remember
When last we wandered this shore?' . . . 'Ah no!
For it is cold-hearted December.'
'Dead, the leaves that like asses's ears hung on the trees
When last we wandered and squandered joy here;
Now Midas your husband will listen for these
Whispers--these tears for joy's bier.'
And as they walk, they seem tall pagodas;
And all the ropes let down from the cloud
Ring the hard cold bell-buds upon the trees--codas
Of overtones, ecstasies, grown for love's shroud
6k
**In the shadow of Everest people are dying
Crushed in a chaos embirthed from beneath,
Emerged as destructor of temple and Taos,
Emerged as an innocent killer... bequeathed.
History crumbles as heavens roar mightily
Ghorka is dead in an avalanche of rock,
Beggars and potentates crushed in the brickfall
Dharahara’s fall leaves men gaping in shock.
Shuddering mountains in avalanche of free fall
Wails of the stricken as quaking defiles,
Gold topped pagodas and statue of ancients,
Sculpture of lions now a rubble in piles.
Khathmandu in the clasp of calamity
Nightmarish forces arisen from deep,
Grasping the earth in their grip of profanity
Monstrously tearing the bedrock from sleep.
A techtonic ****** of Asia by India
Nepal’s Himalayas ****** to the sky,
Inconsequential, this plight of humanity
Nature proceeds as poor Nepalese die.**
M.
ANZAC Day 25 April 2015
Apr 26, 2015
Apr 26, 2015 at 5:45 PM UTC
Bells of gray crystal
Break on each bough--
The swans' breath will mist all
The cold airs now.
Like tall pagodas
Two people go,
Trail their long codas
Of talk through the snow.
Lonely are these
And lonely and I ....
The clouds, gray Chinese geese
Sleek through the sky.
2.6k
Bells of gray crystal
Break on each bough--
The swans' breath will mist all
The cold airs now.
Like tall pagodas
Two people go,
Trail their long codas
Of talk through the snow.
Lonely are these
And lonely and I ....
The clouds, gray Chinese geese
Sleek through the sky.
2.1k
Goodnight anthropocentrism—
Mitochondria swim in your stardust
But Contraverse awakens on the
Frontiers of the Valerian Kingdom
At the gnarled staff of the Oil Sage
Taking root between the Earth’s furrows
Springing forth fountains of sweetest Nard
The Jewel of Jatamansi emerges glistening green
In it the eye of the beholder finds the
Seeds of a once forbidden dream
Germinating in the juices of this Gem
Out of it the silent roar of a thousand fields pressing
Aromatic oceans through bursting buds
Of Lavender pagodas rapturously trumpeting forth
Framed by stacks of soft sweet musky Sage
Broad and leathery like elephant’s ears
Curtained with a soft cascade of Orange blossom snow
The sweet kiss of Neroli on your brow
Imbibing the senses with paralyzing pungency
Tangling tendrils to heartstrings
And pulling us beneath Rosewater pools
Floating breathlessly ensconced in a dream
Primordial songs whispering wordlessly,
“Wake whenever you’re ready . . .”
Dec 6, 2014
Dec 6, 2014 at 5:11 PM UTC
It starts with a girl hunting in the storm.
The sky pours a torrential flood.
The air cackles with the smell of ozone.
Spirits dance and curse over distant pagodas
on rows of lone mountain peaks, scales of a great dragon.
She follows the cold flashes of light,
Until she is only shadow.
(In the distance, a woman’s voice wails)
It starts with a girl,
Arrow notched, string taunt,
Hands steady, and water on her hair, her face, her lips,
On the callouses of her fingertips.
She meets the glowing ember eyes-
Thunder booms,
A tail, a grin, splits in two,
A whistle and a deafening thud.
It starts with a girl,
Who lets a fox live.
Oct 12, 2020
Oct 12, 2020 at 6:14 PM UTC
The first snow
is falling in Borimsa,
a quiet temple
at the foot of Gaji Mountain,
as we stand near the two stone pagodas
that silently standing side by side.
"Oh, the first snow!
And I'm here with you...," you said.
I smile.
Because I remember all you've said about the Korean saying...
The first snow
is falling in Borimsa,
as the true love starts blooming
in two hearts.
Inside the temple,
the Buddha's statue
is waiting for two hearts
to pray in quiet words,
and send the love song
through the gentle wind
to the eternity.
-Kanya Puspokusumo-
http://doeniadevi.wordpress.com
1. Borimsa, one of the oldest Korean temples on Gaji mountain in Jangheung-gun, Jeollanam-do, South Korea (about 300 km from Seoul). The temple holds great significance as the first Zen buddhist temple during unified silla, built in the 9th century.
2. In Korea, there is a saying that if you are out in the first falling snow of the year with someone you like, then true love will blossom between you.
Nov 25, 2017
Nov 25, 2017 at 1:45 AM UTC
Like a small bird
gathering bright objects for her nest,
I am gathering life.
Hands which reached out to me lead me on,
so I left at their bidding
for an ocean in the East.
Traveling through the night
as if lost in a waking dream,
I came at last to her proximity
and slept in an unknown room.
In the morning light,
beyond the highways,
I suddenly saw her, all April morning
blue and still.
Ocean water bathed my feet,
rinsed the crystal beads and pearls
I had worn to greet her.
Deep in the woods now, I see temples everywhere.
In the woodland light, some churches are.
Pagodas of bark and moss in the filtered light,
Ice caverns blue and still begin to melt
beside the waterfall that thunders down,
breathing mist in our faces, garlanding itself
in rainbow light.
In the small city airport
I am folded into the arms of my mother-of-pearl.
Salt water flows easily from my eyes -
like the sweet nectar filling my mouth.
"E facile per le farfalle di volare, sai."
I walk out into the grey-wet airfield,
screaming sounds of engines.
Walking forward, I close my eyes,
and the world is only light.
Now, I have come back to you,
with marzipan, and peacock feathers,
and stories of my adventures.
The light blazes, and the stars
send down their song.
The Universe is singing.
Aug 17, 2015
Aug 17, 2015 at 10:05 PM UTC
A wraparound escalier
Rosette's to wrap ourn Dud's
Rebels to society
Low and high class thugs
Epicurean phenomenon!!!!
A Cosmo's to macroism's
Plasma to holy force
Phatom's of ourn own opera
As yen to take its course
Homage to ourn own castle!!!
Excretion to bare ourn name
Wild gluttons
Barbarian untamed
Spelling eachother's name
In hieroglyphic memorandum!!!
We shalt travel beyond old Egypt
We shalt gun the pagodas
We shalt peep the shrines of gosha
As in giants we shalt become!!!
A convent well maketh many babies
Basilica's of the angels
Seraph's of treaties
Shalt we sign ourn admiration in blood?
Tis
Yes
Tis
Love!!!
Kirks to keep ourn reme
mberance
Friary's to be attentive
As the mutuality
Shalt be sweet mine aimer!!!!
No distance shalt be to far
No rancor to blow ourn hearts
No hot mustard to stain out tarts
As Madrid shalt wrap us between acacia posie's!!!!
Jun 7, 2015
Jun 7, 2015 at 11:17 AM UTC
Life is so beautiful
Last night I had a dream I died
I have never been afraid of death
But when I awoke...
Death is not to be feared, I thought
For it is the only constant,
The only guarantee
But upon my blue eyes squinting open...
I glance and peer at this magnificent dimension
Immediately overtaken with joyous energy
For the Earth has blessed me this day!
Priveleged to be here, now,
Smelling the sweet air of blossoming Pagodas.
Peering through the looking glass of my soul,
I unveil a kaleidoscope of colors and emotions.
For the Heavens have blessed me this day!
Rememberance of everyone before me,
I live today for you,
I will take your place,
Replenish Gaia,
For we are her children,
Oh, how I love you blessed life,
And I shan't ne'er take you for granted.
Nov 22, 2013
Nov 22, 2013 at 11:15 AM UTC
What do you do when you’re alone
Feel the necessity to indulge in something
A drink or a cigarette
Always blowing away the ****** in swirly smoke
Or downing your business deals in ****
Maybe if it’s your birthday
You’re still alone
Probably because you’re a businessman
You may occasionally take hashish trip
And imagine yourself on a minaret
There are plenty
You could choose the one of the three Pagodas
That resemble the Taipei 101
Or the CN Tower
If you’re looking for something modern
But after your escapade of solitude you need a routine for your return
Sep 9, 2017
Sep 9, 2017 at 12:39 PM UTC