By Ishmael von Heidrick-Barnes
Buddha’s Head
Buddha’s head
lying broken
spilling roadway
For 4 days I passed
the noble prince
stuck in the spokes of dharma’s spinning wheel
Finally I tossed Sidd
into the trunk of my blue Toyota
drove him home
hauled him up
eight unfolding flights of stairs
where he sat
in two pieces on my balcony for a week
meditating
on the duality of consciousness
How the hell do you piece together
an enlightened being?
The answer to that koan
was closer
than the third eye of contemplation led me to believe
Several bags of contact cement
a bucket of water
and Buddha’s head
was back in business
except for the Brahmin’s nose
which clung
onto a stretch
of Rancho Bernardo road
refusing to give up the Deity’s last good sense
Ishmael von Heidrick-Barnes was born and raised in San Diego, California. He attended Herbert Hoover High School and went on to study Religion and Theology at the University of San Diego. His book Intimate Geography, published by Ragged Sky Press, won the 2012 San Diego Book Award for Poetry. Ish, as he is known, has also written lyrics for German musicians Andrea Hörkens and Thomas Roderburg (Tender Art).
Latest posts by Ishmael von Heidrick-Barnes (see all)
- Word’s Out | Geo-Poetic Spaces - December 14, 2018
- Political Love Affair | Geo-Poetic Spaces - December 7, 2018
- Deer Tracks | Geo-Poetic Spaces - November 30, 2018
