Poem25

The Bodhisattvas of yesterday

are not the spiritual teachers of today

the bodhisattvas of yesterday

are today

the people who do not hesitate

to give a stranger a light or the time

or some change

The bodhisattvas of yesterday

are today

the teachers that know enough

not to stress to much

about there students grades

the bodhisattvas of yesterday

are today

the friend that listens

instead of trying to help you

behind your back

the bodhisattvas of yesterday

are today

the single parent on welfare and food stamps

who can keep themselves and there children

smiling

the bodhisattvas of yesterday

are today

those strippers and trash collectors

who keep are streets and souls clean

with little thought of thanks

the bodhisattvas of yesterday

are today

the workers in factories

and hospitals

who keep things moving

but are rarely ever seen

the bodhisattvas of yesterday

are not the yoga masters and spiritual heads 

of today

nor are they the lone drunk poet

who thinks he'll change the world

with his words

the oldest and wisest bodhisattvas of yesterday

are today

the dogs that rest there heads on your lap

and looks you in the eye

when your feeling blue

they have learned that a soft touch does more than aggressive compassion

that gentle rain and soft wind erodes hard mountains cleaner than the dynamite of loud love

that keeping your flame small and blue

will warm the world more

than all the blazing infernos of preaching and charity

they have learned to keep who they are 

in there hearts and minds

and not on shirts 

and bumperstickers

the bodhisattvas of yesterday

are reincarnated today

as the drooling drunk and crazy

homeless

who teach you new ways

to see the leaves on the trees

and birds in the air