What I Saw At The Temple... Poem by RIC BASTASA

in the buddhist monastery somewhere
in ho chi minh city
an old tourist who travels alone
though a roman catholic by option
and tradition
lights his incense
buys a blank paper
writes his unfulfilled wishes of his
long gone youth
submits it to the famous Lady of the Sea

the monk in maroon
lights the paper and the the smoke goes up to the sky
as the gods
begin to deliberate whether this old man
deserves it

a young boy left by his mother
(as she busies herself on the altar)
leans on the
300 year-old wall
wondering what is this all about

twitching