I Met The Buddha On The Road

On the road between Cu Chi and Long Binh
The military convoy stopped
There was something going on up ahead
A dead VC with a little bamboo ladder
A sapper headed for Cu Chi
To liberate his country from the invaders
Now he was liberated
Clad only in short black pants
No shirt no shoes
Only the satchel charge
And his personal pack containing his book of poetry
Pictures of his family
A picture of Uncle Ho
Through the opium haze I saw the shell of his body
A thin whisp of smoke rose from the middle of his head
A yellow luminous orb attached to the smoke
Hovered above the body that was riddled and burned
The orb detached from the body
Floated in the air for a few moments
Then alighted near a burned out Lambretta
Things began to materialize
First a yellow saffron robe
Then a begging bowl
Sandals
A young monk with shaved head,
He walked over to me
In perfect English he asked me, “Where are you going?”
“I don’t know,” I replied, “But hop in, I’ll take you there.”
At this he laughed and climbed in the deuce-and-a-half
The convoy proceeded toward Long Binh
But stopped again just outside the city
My rider friend pointed out the window
“There is where you are headed,” he said.
I looked at the gold covered Buddhist pagoda
Then at him, he beckoned me to go with him
So, leaving my truck, I followed him
Wearing my flak jacket and carrying my M-16
When we got to the pagoda he turned to me
“You do not need these,” he said.
My rifle and jacket were gone and I was dressed as he was
“There are 49 steps to climb,” He pointed to the first one
When I stepped on it, I turned to look at him but he was gone.