Poem for Swamiji by Satsvarupa dasa Brahmacari

Thank you for the work ahead,
thank you, Prabhupada,
for giving us your books
in which Lord Visnu
instructs through you:
“Treat people equally,
don’t be disturbed by distress or happiness,
control your mind and senses,
execute your duty in whatever
condition of life you may be put,
by My arrangement, give protection.

Thank you for the orders
and the kind looks,
allowing us to sit with you
to share lunch.

Swamiji, I don’t
confuse you with God,
but you are as good as God.
You didn’t create the cosmos
by your expanded plenary parts,
but you teach us
the Vaisnava is
more merciful than the Lord.

Let the fear of falldown guide me,
the fear of rejection by you.
Let me follow until death
accomplishing at least
the minimum requirements.
I pray for your grace,
lest my toehold slip.
Please remind me what to do.

 And today I took a look
at a color photo:
Swamiji is wearing a yellow sweater,
he is looking to the right,
holding karatalas.  I steady
and watch him as I once did.
He wears a rose garland.

These standard resources –
photos, purports, instructions,
are well-springs of mercy,
if I simply go to them
without despair or cynicism.
It happens –
we forget who we are,
and who is Bhagavan.
But the spiritual master is here,
kind as always,
and I am serving him.