The Court Will not be Sitting Today! (by Peter Elliott)

Poem 3 of 8 in "Salvaged from Coreys" Volume 3 Issue 1

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THE COURT WILL NOT BE SITTING TODAY!

I walk to work
In mental converse with Mao Tse Tung
And the Dalai Lama.
(I have a ticket
to see the Dalai Lama at lunch-time)

We discuss whether the exile of the Dalai Lama
Must go on perpetually.
Surely some compromise could be reached.

The Dalai Lama
(A different version
of the one who is physically in town)
Wonders what level of recognition
He enjoys in this land of Australia
On this bardo
(bardo = reality).
He thinks it might perhaps be two percent -
One in fifty people.

At this point I reach the door
At which I enter the Magistrates' Court
Where I work.
I fumble for my access card
And see Peter
A colleague in the Department
Approaching.
"I'll ask him" I volunteer.

His reply is closer to what I feel.
"I'd say one in ten would have heard of him"
He replies - quick, clear, concise,
Then stuns me with:
"I'm going to see him at lunch-time;
He's appearing twice,
At lunch and at six"

Somewhat amazed
I enter my office
And as a prelude to asking to take the day off
(For I am feeling it's a holy day,
a special day)
I put the same question
To Bill, my boss.

"O everyone's heard of the Dalai Lama"
He says.
He is old enough to remember
When China invaded Tibet.

I mention Peter going to the Dalai Lama as well
And suddenly marvel at the coincidence.

Surely there can't be that many members
Of the Department of Justice
Planning to see
The lama!

Or are there?

---(Peter Elliott)--

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