The massive statue opened her eyes!

Pic - Nihon-ji Temple, Mount Nokogiri, Japan

The massive statue opened her eyes!
Everyone fled,
(which didn’t surprise her.)
All but the girl
who stood calmly there,
gazing up at her
from humble stairs. 

The girl had climbed to the lotus base
and hugged Kannon
round her cold stone legs.
Tears welled,
and fell down her cheek
to splash the granite
at the statue’s feet. 

The girl went back and sat at the step
by her old suitcase, 
and gently wept,
wept the teardrops
a child can cry
when discovering something
grown-up inside.  

The statue strode from the mountainside
to sit with the girl
as she dried her eyes.
Kannon spoke 
in sonorous notes,
as if Compassion herself
had awoken… 

“Sister, tell me, why do you stay
when all the others 
run away?”
She answered, “My grandmother
said, ‘Don’t fear.
Go to Kannon.
Be sincere.’ 

“Her grandmother’s grandmother stood here,
on midwinter day 
her thirteenth year.
You came to life then,
and the pilgrims fled.
Except for her;
she stayed instead. 

“She too was journeying as a girl
to find her way
in the wider world,
as I go now
at the very same age
from the home I know,
to find what I may.” 

Kannon said, “I have memory of this;
your mother-of-mothers
who came to visit.
Of all the others
across the years,
she was first
to offer her tears. 

“That was the last time I left the rock
to move free,
seek, and walk.
But those I met 
felt fear, and ran;
they love what I do,
not who I am. 

“I withdrew into the cliff then,
stayed restrained
to not frighten them.
Until today,
when I recognized
your mother-of-mother’s tears 
from your eyes.” 

Kannon asked, after a quiet while,
“You fear me not sister,
why do you cry?”
“Because,” she replied,
 “I feel your sadness
and cry the tears
your granite can’t. 

“You are a goddess, why are you sad?” 
the brave girl asked
the animated granite.
Kannon answered,
“Through centuries,
you are the first
to ask this of me. 

“I am the Wellspring of Empathy;
currents of mercy
cascade from me
to soothe other’s troubles and woe,
and yet
sometimes,
I feel so alone.  

“Listening for sounds of suffering
is wearying, 
even for me.
Cries of trial and 
keens of need
erode me,
like sand on the breeze.” 

Kannon paused to give her a glance,
“They need me
to do all I can,
but I long to be wanted 
for who I am.
And I’m not.
This causes my sadness.” 

The girl looked up; her tears had stopped.
“I bring you no need,
only want.
Let me take 
your weight away
by placing it
inside my case.” 

Kannon was puzzled, (which was odd,
considering
she was a god.)
“What’s inside 
your tiny case
to take my giant weight
away?” 

The girl replied, “A place to place
your burdens
from the waning day;
to start tomorrow 
bright and fresh,
light of 
yesterday’s distress. 

“The inside place doesn’t have a name.
It’s a kind of 
invitation
to reset 
by letting go,
unload,
restore.” 

Kannon said, “It’s as with zen;
empty the cup
before pouring again.
As with the tea,
so with the case;
the gift you bring
is the space.” 

The goddess held the case in her palm
as up they stood,
and off they walked,
leaving behind
the stone lotus base,
to remind us to rise 
though the murk 
in rebirth 
each day. 

Lee DeNoya - Taos and Atlanta, 2021-22