Sunday Poem: Buddhist Chronicles 7
BUDDHIST CHRONICLES
7
Siddhartha At The Boundary Of The Sakya Kingdom
Moonless night; cloud
silk across lowering sky.
In my father’s palace Yasodhara sleeps,
my son’s newborn body curled against her breast:
a snail in its shell.
I have turned my trembling back
on all I love,
tethered still by ropes of desire,
longing. O heart
that hammers against the doors of the sky–
I creep forward to meet this cryptic night.
The river hisses, a cobra at my feet.
I can bear no more goodbyes.
I must make a fist of this heart.
Channa, take my clothes;
these silks and jewels chafe like a yoke.
Give them to my father. Tell him, I will return
when I have found the jewel I seek. Kanthaka,
you must gallop back to the palace too.
I cannot take you with me.
…………………………………………………………………….
Continuing the saga of Siddhartha and his family, this week we hear from the man himself.
As always, I’d love to have you join me on this journey of poetic play and discovery. Please share your poems, insights, songs and musings in Comments. Our conversation brings brave new worlds into being.
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Such an ironic choice
to forsake love
in pursuit of it.
2 lotus blossoms
were left at home
in exchange for
1 lotus blossom
that, apparently,
defies domestication.
From what I’ve seen,
family
is the most rigorous spiritual path of all.
And many think about fleeing
the responsibility of It.
But few get accolades for doing so.
You, Siddhartha, are the exception.
Had you walked among us today,
you’d probably have to swap
the title “Enlightened One”
for “Deadbeat Dad.”
=========================================
Hiro, this poetic series evokes shadow work for me. Ouch. And thank you.
Erika Harris´s last post … Got a decision to make? This might help.
Erika, I love and applaud your courage in dancing with the shadow in this way. Poetry’s chiaroscuro evokes our own patterns of dappling…
Hiro Boga´s last post … Sunday Poem: Buddhist Chronicles 7
Que Bello Hiro and Erika!
I feel so specially touched by these two poems, Erika´s words are very close to my heart, dont really know how to permanently be aware that my beloved family IS my spiritual path at this moment, that at some point i chose this for my self for a reason, that everything i seek is right there in front of me…i know this, is just overwhelming sometimes.
I´ve never commented before Hiro, but i need to say i feel like home reading you. I look foward to the day i can hear your voice.
Carolina, welcome! I’m so glad you did comment.
This story–of choosing between family life and a less crowded, noisy, crazy-making spiritual path–reaches into the bruised hearts of our childhood. We sense this conflict in our parents, even–especially–as children. And we struggle to make peace with it in our grownup lives.
Wishing you all you need to support you in your own journey…
Hiro Boga´s last post … Sunday Poem: Buddhist Chronicles 7