photo: public domain via wikimedia

the shepherdesses.

sonnet.

george bogle, on his journey to tibet
to meet the panchen lama, near the time
america revolted, found a mind
swift and perceptive; i never forget
a face, the lama mused, feeling they’d met
although he’d never left his land behind,
you look familiar; where’ve i seen your kind?
i’ve got it - fetch my finest china set!
they rummaged through the lama’s jumbled shelf
of curiosities from other worlds;
brass pocket-compass, broken music-box -
a chinese teapot, modeled after delft,
portraying european shepherd girls;
small world! both parties cried, in pleasant shock.

based on an anecdote from the fascinating himalaya: a human history by ed douglas.

alex guenther.
check out recent interview here.
“108 sonnets” available at http://bit.ly/108_sonnets.