Poem: "To Amnye Machen"

High Peaks Pure Earth has translated a poem titled “To Amnye Machen” by a Tibetan blogger calling themselves, The Plateau is my Home. The poem was posted on a TibetCul blog on September 5, 2011.
Amnye Machen is the major range of mountains in Amdo, north-eastern Tibet, and considered the most sacred in Amdo, a place of pilgrimage. The poem highlights environmental damage in Tibet caused by mining and is another example of ongoing online activity related to this issue. For past High Peaks Pure Earth posts about Tibetan concerns about mining, see “2006 Appeal Letter Against Mining in Amdo, Tibet, Resurfaces Online”“Kumbum On A Journey”“Impoverished Matö County” By Woeser“An Appeal Letter from Kumbum Monastery”, and “Please Stop the ‘Development’ of Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar for Profit” By Woeser

“To Amnye Machen”
By: The Plateau is my Home

Even though I have never seen you
Even though I have never been at your side
I know your stalwart figure
Standing firmly in the boundless space between heaven and earth

On your venerable forehead that has passed through thousands of years
Are the clean snowflakes shining in the sun of the plateau
Under your vast, peaceful and smooth feet
Is the sound of praises sung to you by the plateau herders.

You are one of the nine sacred mountains of Tibet
Your fame is firmly established throughout the world.
You are the Dharma defender of Amdo
Your good name is widely known.

However, today, the wheels of greed
Are running over the grassland, entering directly under your feet
They bring bombs, trucks, and excavators
And other bizarre tools that are used by demons
To excavate the hidden gems in your body

The people who have been guarding you for millions of years
Are unable to guard you anymore
They can only endure in silence
Their only choice is to wait helplessly…

One day they will be forced to move out
Saying goodbye tearfully to your beautiful and warm embrace.
Where will they go?
They will be placed on the edge of the barren desert

Henceforth, on our sacred Amnye Machen
The white flocks of sheep will never be seen again
The song of the herders will never be heard again
Those filthy greedy people will soon mercilessly stifle you

One Comment

  1. Thank you HPPE translater(d lak). it is really powerful poem and it hits so strong to my heart, but we have still time to guard and power to fight back. it is not just to endure but prepare within

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