on turquoise ground

rooftops are flag forced

revolution red

 

risking reprisals

yellow stars are ripped

on the city outskirts

 

in homage to a stolen lama

a Shigaste restaurateur

pull curtains

over Beijing’s chosen Panchen

 

old man whispers of a secret

picture of Dalai

 

in the capital

binoculars pore over prostrations

and Buddha’s blessings are molested

at temple gate checkpoints

 

machine gun operators

operating their lungs

over chanting nomads

 

om mani padma hung

clockwise hum plaited

into hair of pilgrims

 

a Tibetan grandmother

holding my arm

guiding me to spin

the prayer wheel

 

in the base of my belly

in my neck

behind my eyes

in my right breast

 

melted butter

and sage fired

Jokhang air

 

a ticket home

 

one way permeability

 

all Tibetan passports

were confiscated in 2012

 

 

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