Buddha Land

This is a photo of Tibetan Lama Gangchen Rinpoche

taken by Ara Tokatyan. I found it on google,

as featured at ngalsohealingart.wordpress.com

He is not the Lama this poem is about,

but his joyous demeanor depicts the spirit of the poem.

***

She tosses the rice

to the left, to the right.

There must always be rice

for the blessing.

The Lama walks,

blessing the land.

A rainbow appears on the right.

It is said that this Lama

manifests a rainbow

wherever he goes.

A whale is swimming by, in the bay.

The eagle, watching from the topmost scrag,

gives one piercing cry,

then resettles his feathers.

He does not fly away.

Joy beyond joy,

tears on her face,

a Lama is blessing her homestead.

The whale! The eagle!

The rainbow!

Miracles, all.

When the blessing is over,

the Lama smiles.

"This is Buddha Land,"

he says.