Fragrancing the Buddha – a poem by John Whitney Steele

Fragrancing the Buddha

Strike a match—
coo-whik-shhhooh!
Let silence bloom. 

Catch a whiff 
of sulfur’s pungent 
essence. Dopamine.

Ignite the incense. 
Can you hear it
smolder? Breathe in

the scent of cinnamon,
sandalwood, benzoin.
Let bliss be. 

Settle in. 
Lift each vertebrae
and spread your collarbones

until your heart 
goes tippy-toes,
can’t wait to fledge,

lets you hold it 
and place it, gently
on the altar

at the Buddha’s feet 
where incense whorls,
compassion flows,

and consciousness 
can’t help but twinkle.

John Whitney Steele is a psychologist, yoga teacher, assistant editor of Think: A Journal of Poetry, Fiction and Essays, and graduate of the MFA Poetry Program at Western Colorado University. A Pushcart Prize nominee, his poems have been published widely. His two collections, The Stones Keep Watch, and Shiva’s Dance, were published by Kelsay Books. John lives in Colorado and enjoys hiking in the mountains.