meeting the new year..

one of the seven great dogs.
at any one time, you know, there are only seven.
                 horatio fisk - dean spanley

the crows were bountiful..cawing such a ruckus..
complaining and harshly speaking their minds
at a snestled dog wound around itself on the asilomar shore..
i dug my eyes deep into the hideaway grasses to see the furry one..
tucked into itself..a circle within a circle of long-haired velvet  pelt..
there was a fragile fence to keep
the likes of me off the protected landscape..
yet without a moment's hesitation i crawled under the keep out! barricade
and found myself eye to eye with a nose of such brown..
eyes of such depth..a wee smile that never left the tender muzzle..
a presence like the  angel of mercy..

it is said that crows proclaim auspicious moments of a lifetime..
like the 3 crows that announced the dalai lama's birth in tibet..
this was one of those moments..
what were the crows so antsy about?
what made the crows broadcast this presence to me?
was this dog injured?

i saw a bright red collar though i did not look at the tags..stupid!
it was a pup..with paws that would grow thrice as big..
i had my 'always with me' dog treats..
and was able to serve up an offering to this divine enchantment..
very well received ..with much extra licking and loving my fingertips..
we sat side by side paw on paw on paw
looking out at the great ocean..wave upon wave..
coming in..coming out..
we were eternal..timeless..

still not sure if this pup was hurt..
there was no movement except for munching and licking..
i decided to go get my car..and my phone..stupid!
it was not easy to take my leave..
to walk away from this..this.. phantasm..
for it seemed to me that only i could see and touch this being..
this dog angel of essence..

as i made my way away
from this visible/invisible energy
of fur and divine generosity ..
i peeked back to see the illusory 4-legged..
sitting up..facing me..!!
why o why did i not return at once?
i did not  ~
when i arrived w/ the car..my phone..
the crows had scattered along the shoreline..
the grass held holy the shape of my messenger ..
and i was alone and empty ..
charmed by a grace indescribable ..

from that day to this..i am beguiled..

all beings arise in time,
time continually consumes them all...
                     ~ from the vimalaprabha