REVERENCE

a pantoum
 
I climb the crested hill to sit alone
Legs cross I view the world between my knees
Too long I’ve missed the reverence we’ve known  
Too long I’ve been without your breath in me
 
Legs cross I view the world between my knees
I strike the singing bowl with mallet’s wood
Too long I’ve been without your breath in me
Too long from you the pilgrim’s life withstood
 
I strike the singing bowl with mallet’s wood
With even stroke in tones of purest light
Too long from you the pilgrim’s life withstood
Too long without your knowing third eye's sight
 
With even stroke in tones of purest light
The cleansing with our sacred joinings made
Too long without your knowing third eye's sight  
Too long my hand from your true mala stayed
 
The cleansing with our sacred joinings made
Your holy beads between my fingers’ roll
Too long my hands from your true mala stayed  
Too long denied our mantra’s calm console
 
Your holy beads between my fingers’ roll  
The universe’s call to both our hearts
Too long denied our mantra’s calm console
Too long kept from the grace in our love's part
 
The universe’s call to both our hearts
nabu amida butsu it begins
Too long kept from the grace in our love's part
Too long I’ve been from nen nen fu ri shin
 
nabu amida butzu it begins
I climb the crested hill to sit alone
Too long I’ve been from nen nen furi shin
Too long I’ve missed the reverence we’ve known
 
namu-amida-butzu: conceptually in Shin Buddhism is an acknowledgement that no separation exists between Buddha, the devotee, the dharma, Pure Land, and right here, right now…*
 
[i]Nen nen furi shin = that mind-in-the-now that thought of awakening, is completely one with the mind-heart: nen nen furi shin. One in the same Mind. One in the same Heart.**
 
*Mysticism: Christian and Buddhist, by D. T. Suzuki (1957) Appendices VIII, page 161
 
**The Depth of the Drop: Zen Rap on the Shobogenzo Volume 1, page 41