The Twenty First Night of September

We heard that His High Holiness
The Dali Lama
Was to be in Woodstock yesterday
We left campus early to secure a safe close spot
Was I really to be only twenty feet from him?
This being who has spread so much peace and love
This being who has been exciled from his country

During our time there
We ran into our friend Matt
who has been working on
The Monestary
in preparation for the
The Karmapa
They built this place of worship
high up on the hill
it is so gorgeous
so graceful

"HIS HOLINESS the Seventeenth Gyalwa Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, was born to nomadic parents in 1985 in the Lhathok region of Tibet. The parents, who had many daughters and one son, wanted to have another boy. They were told by the yogi abbot of Kalek, a Karma Kagyu monastery, that they might have a son but if they did they must place him at Kalek monastery. They agreed and a short time later they had a son.
The boy was called "Apo Gaga," which means "happy brother," a nickname given to him by his older sister. Apo Gaga spent four years at Kalek monastery, where he received a special education and was treated as an unrecognized reincarnate lama. During this period, he also spent some time with his parents."

Being the production team
Robert Jerry and I (with Nikki Wellness Center)
moved with a quickness and reverence
we knew the honor bestowed on us
to be able to help prepare for this visit
Matt recruited the right team
We went to help move rocks
put down "the red carpet"
for the Dali Lama's visit later that day
After he spoke in town
Being with the monks
moving clearing the land
creating space for a holy man
so grateful
saying prayers in the shrine
having flashbacks back to Thailand
where I spent most days in similar shrines
praying crying being grateful
for my life
being thankful
and reverent
that I could worship in a place
as holy
again

His message was peaceful
his message was honest about his pain
his message was funny
he had a cute funny lilt in his laugh
he was very graceful
and humble
"What shall I tell you?"
he asked us
he asked us
he who knows so much
asked us
His message was simple
about being simple
reminding us
how to be
peaceful
simple
warriors