burnings

BURNINGS

a sequence poem in forty parts

by Charles Hadfield

In the coming and going of the tides, in the rise of mist and fall of rain, I see a reflection of the deepest pattern in all life: that of arrival and departure, of earth and regeneration.

(Michael King, ‘What I Believe’, in The Silence Beyond, 2011, p.94)

so, yes, again

it happens:

that clanging bell

on & on

in the wind's din

almost

inaudible

against

the

surf

Man's love of freedom is like a smouldering fire under the snow - Palden Gyatso

ii)

he stands

fists clenched

shouts

the mountain

shouts back

a rock falls

far up

at the head

of the valley

Tapey, 20s, monk of Kirti monastery in Ngaba county, Sichuan Province, immolated himself on Feb 27, 2009. His whereabouts and condition still remain unknown.

iii)

snow

just visible

on the skyline

at last

Phuntsok, 21, of Kirti monastery, father's name Tsering Tashi and mother's name Dzongkar, immolated himself on Mar 16, 2011. He died the next day.

iv)

maybe

& yet again

(beyond the dusk

where the stars

are beginning

to appear

is it? )

Tsewang Norbu (Norko), 29, of Nyitso monastery in Tawu County, Sichuan Province, father's name Tsokye and mother's name Choklek, immolated himself on the main street of Tawu town on Aug 15, 2011 and burned to death.

when time came

it was easier than

they had expected

taxi

airport

another airport

bus

a new home

here

Lobsang Kelsang, 18-19, of Kirti monastery, father's name Tashi Tsering, immolated himself at Ngaba Town market square on Sep 26, 2011. His legs had to be amputated and his whereabouts remain unknown.

vi)

translating

one sequence

into another

running it all

backwards

(just to check)

sometimes

feeling

the new meanings

possible in words

Lobsang Kunchok, 18-19, of Kirti Monastery, burned himself at Ngaba town marketplace on Sep 26, 2011. He remains critical, with both his arms and legs amputated.

vii)

buildings rise

buildings fall

they tore down

the streets of old

weather tight houses

grey

begin to impose itself

behind

the ancient trees

Kelsang Wangchuk,17, of Kirti monastery, father's name Tsurdri and mother's name Dechok, immolated himself on the main Ngaba town street on Oct 3, 2011. He sustained spinal injury and is permanently disabled.

viii)

always

the song begins

rattles on through

ups & downs

chord progressions

defining

our mood

just like

election adverts

on TV

in other countries

Choephel,19, former monk of Kirti monastery, immolated himself in Ngaba town marketplace on Oct 7, 2011 and died on Oct 11.

ix)

she sings

out of tune

nevertheless

there's a charming

or not

(depends on the lyrics

perhaps

would the trees care

if they had no name

no translations

there are differences

Khaying (Lhungyang), 18, former monk of Kirti monastery, immolated himself in Ngaba Town marketplace on Oct 7, 2011 and died the next day.

coax the sounds

through the mike

backing band

so far back

and so laid

back

invisible

inaudible

powercut

so much for technology

Norbu Dramdul,19, former monk of Kirti monastery, immolated himself on the main street of Ngaba Town on Oct 15, 2011 and died on Jan 5, 2012.

xi)

banjo

clanking

'Sweet Primroses'

purest voice

high above the clouds

glimpse of blue

sunlit war zones

Tenzin Wangmo, 20, nun of Mamae Dechen Chokhorting nunnery in Ngaba County, father's name Nyitse, immolated herself at a Crossroad near the nunnery on Oct 17, 2011 and burned to death.

xii)

palm fronds

torn ragged by wind

squalls

ripped clouds

roaring

out of sight

knock knock

no one there

(except a policeman)

Dawa Tsering, 38, of Karze Monastery in Karze County, Sichuan Province, father's name Delek and mother's name Dontso, immolated himself during the monastery's annual religious dance ( Cham) festival on Oct 25, 2011. His whereabouts and condition still remain unknown.

xiii)

each powerpoint

presentation

like the magic lantern

slide shows

of my childhood

when the presenter

dropped

a frame

clattering

smashing

on the floor

Palden Choetso (Choesang), 35, of Tawu Gaden Choeling nunnery, father's name Joney and mother's name Kolen, immolated herself during a public prayer session at Tawu Namgyal stupa on Nov 3, 2011 and burned to death.

xiv)

flat light

grey lid

of sky

something changing

out here in the ocean

wait for it

Tenzin Phuntsok, 40s, former monk of Karma monastery in Chamdo County of TAR immolated himself near the monastery on Dec 1, 2011 and died on Dec 6.

xv)

small mistakes

build

a pattern of greys

look out

(far off

a cuckoo call

carries on the breeze)

Tsultrim, 20s, former monk of Kirti monastery, immolated himself near the monastery on Jan 6, 2012 and died the next day.

xvi)

and

there

up there

the

mountains?

snow

&/or cloud

Tennyi, 20s, former monk of Kirti monastery, immolated himself near the monastery on Jan 6, 2012 and died the same day.

xvii)

as is

in the end

it's always the same

(Name! Number! Rank!)

confusion unless ssssh...

everybody abides by the rules

it IS difficult

when you forget

your own rhythm

the flow of your signature

(and then again:

you could have thumbed

your own mark

or copied your moko)

Sonam Wangyal, 40s, tulku of Darlag monastery in Golog prefecture, Qinghai Province, immolated himself on Jan 8, 2012 and burned to death.

xviii)

calculus

(my strong point)

but listen to the

summer evening birds

I can appreciate

those patterns

even understand

what they're saying

mostly

Lobsang Jamyang, 22, of Ngabe town, father's name Gyatso and mother's name Lhachung, immolated himself in Ngaba Town on Jan 14, 2012, and died on Jan 16.

xix)

the whole sight

edgeways

sideways

any which way

upside down

no visible

blemishes

for now

Rigzin Dorjee,19, of Meruma Township in Ngaba County, father's name Garpa Tsongkho and mother's name Dhunkar, immolated himself at the Ngaba Town No. 2 primary school on Feb 8, 2012 and died on Feb 21.

xx)

now

the sudden sun

a wineglass

empty

on the...

... table, probably?

birds summoning

the new

weather

rain clouds

over the hills

Sonam Rabyang, 42, monk of Lab Monastery in Keygudo Triwang Town, Qinghai Province, immolated himself on Feb 8, 2012. His condition and whereabouts remain unknown.

xxi)

thousands of kilometres

of wind

have built these waves!

all the way from Chile

this splash

on the rocks

this Feliz Año

Tenzin Choedron, 18, nun of Mamae Dechen Choerkhorling nunnery in Ngaba County, father's name Lopay and mother's name Tsepo, immolated herself near the nunnery on Feb 11, 2012 and burned to death.

xxii)

again

(and not yet

even)

... momentary

surprise

move on & up

towards

a steeper horizon

Lobsang Gyatso, 19, monk of Kirti monastery, father's name Bazri and mother's name Pekar, immolated himself on the main street of Ngaba Town on Feb 13, 2012. His fate or conditions and whereabouts remain unknown.

xxiii)

paths cross

glances intersect

this reading

translated

into new words

how dictionaries

deceive

the ordinary reader

you, me

or another!

Dhamchoe Sangpo, late 30s, monk official of Bongthak Monastery in Themchen County of Tsonub Prefecture, Qinghai Province, father's name Taklha, immolated himself on the monastery's ground on Feb 17, 2012 and burned to death.

xxiv)

what word

can follow?

no matter which you choose

a meaning

will interrupt

arrive

BLOSSOM

and then fade

(evolve)

Nangdrol, 18, monk of Zamthang Jonang Monastery in Ngaba Prefecture, father's name Chensig and mother's name Nyingmo, immolated himself outside his monastery on Feb 19, 2012 and burned to death.

xxv)

as yet

it is all

'up for grabs'

may you

whenever

of course

Tsering Kyi, 20, student of Tibetan Middle School in Machu County, Gansu Province, immolated herself at the vegetable market in Machu town on Mar 3, 2012 and burned to death.

xxvi)

the paints laid out

neat rows

brushes ready

clean water in the jar

the view

just

'there'

& the perfect blank paper

in front of us

Rinchen, 33, a mother of four in Ngaba County, father's name Rana and mother's name Lhakho, immolated herself in front of the police station at Kirti Monastery on Mar 3, 2012 and burned to death.

xxvii)

asleep

perhaps

or just deeply

considering

the next move

Dorjee, 18, of Cha Ruwa town in Ngaba County, father's name Chacha, immolated himself on a bridge to the local government office in Cha Township on Mar 5, 2012 and burned to death.

xxviii)

if nothing else

a word

no plans

no hostages to fortune

but a smile

here & there

Gepey, 18, monk of Kirti Monastery, father's name Chakdor and mother's name Chakho, immolated himself at Chojema township on Mar 10, 2012 and burned to death.

xxix)

an Arabic

saying:

'the excuse

is worse

than

the offence'

Jamyang Palden, 34, monk of Rongpo monastery in Rebkong county, Qinghai Province, father's name Kunchok Kyap and mother's name Chakmo, immolated himself on the Dolma Square of the monastery on Mar 14, 2012 and remains in serious condition.

xxx)

shift shapes

change the sense

trust, betray

betrayal is love

&/or

love is betrayal

Judas &/or Jesus

the one &/or the other

ultimately love

is a choice

either way it matters

most of all

and the trees?

& the rocks?

(ref: Gary Snyder c.1970)

Losang Tsultrim, 20, monk of Kirti Monastery, father's name Yeshe and mother's name Tsedon, immolated himself in Ngaba town on Mar 16, 2012 and died on Mar 19.

xxxi)

so much

so little

no knowing the result

at the top of the sky

a single cloud

above the island

hanging there all day

a sign to us

far out

on the ocean

birds fly out

fly back

something about

the swell

is changing

the way home?

Sonam Dhargey, 44, a father of three in Rebkong County, father's name Shamo and mother's name Chagmo Gyal, immolated himself at an intersection near the vegetable market in Rongpo town on Mar 17, 2012 and burned to death.

xxxii)

on the other hand

did you see the way the sun

drove through those trees

on the skyline

last night?

you have to live here

to know what I mean

Lobsang Sherab, 20, of Cha village in Ngaba Town, burned himself to death on Mar 28, 2012.

xxxiii)

the mould on the stones

the wet heat in the clouds

& the dazzling blooms

overpoweringly perfumed

in the rain roar

then steam off the ground

& an underlying fear

of more lava

somewhere

some time

erupting

yet the beach & the rollers

& the blue blue water and sky

unimaginable?

the horror

or the happiness?

Tenpa Dhargey, 22, of Tsodun Town in Barkham County of Ngaba Prefecture, father's name Kalden and mother' name Paltso, immolated himself outside the prefectural government offices on Mar 30, 2012. He remains in serious condition.

xxxiv)

make no mistake

it's all there

you just need to look

maybe the other way, too

Chime Palden, 21, of Tsodun Town, father' name Rabgey and mother' name Machiktso, immolated himself outside the prefectural govnment offices on Mar 30, 2012 and died later that night.

xxxv)

sudden clarity:

colours, contrasts, sharp lines

first time ever

a brave new world

but every day more reports come to us from up there behind the mountains

xxxvi)

the mist rises

the rain falls

tides

come

& go

patterns

in these

arrivals

or departures

make yourselves heard

xxxvii)

sorry

but that's not what I meant

the layout

the line endings

the punctuation

not even the grammar

not at all

it was something else

a hint

a possibility

an opening to

is it ever possible to explain?

tell me when

make yourselves seen

melt the snow

every day more & more reports come out from behind the mountains

xxxviii)

probably many more to come

xxxix)

more and more

xl)

many more...until the snow melts

Note:

The latest copy of Tibetan Review to reach me, November- December 2013, records that another monk, Tsultrim Gyatso, died on 19 December, bringing the total number of self immolations to 125.

So: To date (December 2013) 125 Tibetans are known to have burned themselves alive.

The names of these thirty-three Tibetans are taken from Tibetan Review March-April 2012 , vol XLVII no 3-4, pages 7 and 8.

Acknowledgements:

Several sections of this sequence have previously appeared in Tears in the Fence, Osiris, and Poetry NZ. Gratitude is duly extended to the editors of these publications.

a facqueuesol paperless book