Damaged Buddha
Hebei Province. Sui Dynasty
Headless
an opalescent torso
fluted with memory
a procession of form
that is arm-less and so
free of holding:
as if
at the moment of
Shravasti
flames
exploded the thinking self
splendidly made
a pyre
of the suffering days
with ground waters washing
all the pain clear.
But hold my feet please
my soles remain
and still burn
with speech.