Detachment
/She tried to pay no attention to
The muffled whimpers from behind
Those heartfelt sobs so familiar
They pulled her concentration
Away from the ordination
Her beloved family
Observed the ceremony in tears of
Dejection and desertion
As they witnessed their losing battle
In winning her back
Tired of material chasing
As it could never fill her emptiness
Nor bring her emotional security
Sensed the endless turmoil of life
With a deep realization of
The ephemerality of secular matters
She was determined to embark
On a journey of no return
In searching for a life of faith
Purity and lasting peace
Decades passed she looked back
Still heard weeping sound of her family
Realized she was treading on their tears
To get on her enlightenment path
Heartless she was at that time
in severing their emotional attachment
Yet she never regretted her decision
By Shih-Fang Wang
From: United States