Fire, please pass me by
Please pass by the firs, spruce, and pines,
the cactus, grasses and wildflowers,
the bears and lions, deer and foxes, turkeys and rabbits,
jays, squirrels, spiders, snakes and unseens.
Fire, please pass us by.
Please pass by my friend Joan and her community in Santa Fe
Please pass by Diana, Tania, and Sean in Taos
Please pass by the earliest Pueblo residents, and
the Spanish descendants near Mora who
have walked lightly on the land
hundreds of years, and the spirits of the
Arapahoe people who
hunted this canyon a thousand years before.
Fire, please pass me by,
or maybe give us a little more time.
The rains could come, as they do,
you know.
The breeze just now is cool and soft.
We’ve made ready for you
Our bags are always packed.
We know you are stronger, but
we can move out of your way.
We bow with respect, we chant words
of protection for all beings.
If I go towards the mountain of knives, the mountain of knives of itself breaks up;
If I go towards the boiling oil, the boiling oil of itself dries up;
If I go towards the hells, the hells of themselves disappear;
If I go towards the hungry ghosts, the hungry ghosts of themselves become full.
If I go towards the demons, their evil thoughts of themselves are tamed.
If I go towards the animals, they themselves attain great wisdom. *
Perhaps we should not be here.
Fire, please pass me by.
You have been here with us before, I
remember so well.
If you must come close, please save me
a little distance.
I promise to put palms together and look
straight at you, as a man
on your land.
Fire, please pass me by.
* From Maha Karuna Dharani Sutra
May 19, 2022
Bob woodward says
Nicely done
Bob woodward says
Timely and deftly done