A Vision of the Bodhisattvas

They pass before me one by one riding on animals "What are you waiting for," they want to know Z—, young as he is (& mad into the bargain) tells me "Some day you'll drop everything & become a rishi, you know." I know The forest is there, I've lived in it More certainly than this town? Irrelevant— What am I waiting for? A change in customs that will take 1000 years to come about? Who's to make the change but me? "Returning again and again," Amida says Why's that dream so necessary? walking out of whatever house alone Nothing but the clothes on my back, money or no Down the road to the next place the highway leading to the mountains From which I absolutely must come back What business have I to do that? I know the world and I love it too much and it Is not the one I'd find outside this door.