English Colours of the Indian Raj

Yellow Buddha’s Tooth

Gold Buddha Meditates High
above the temple compound
Devotee crowds assemble
quietly beneath
holding platters of white lotus
petals in their brown hands

Followers trail up
the temple’s grey steps
back to back
belly to belly
shuffling toward the unseen tooth

Silently the parade
moves up the stairs
to the bronze clad
Tomb of the Tooth
depositing flowers
in the shadowy
celebratory place

Sadhus return to lush
green Kandy’s growth
Tomorrow barefoot they trip
to the huge blue lotus between
banana coloured Buddha’s toes
to see his black hair
displayed in  the mini-­‐golden
Stupa of Gamgarama then

Buddhist’s bus to Damballa caves
to view the many yellow buddhas
hand-­‐cradling
red white blue doilies

There are a lot of yellow
buddhas on little brother’s
Island at the foot of
Big Black Shiva’s India

August 30, 2015