The Buddha Sits Still in Washington D.C.

This is a poem I wrote shortly after returning from a visit to Washington D.C. with my father in 2017. As both a undergraduate student of political science and a Buddhist I have been using meditation hand in hand with studying politics and navigating the political landscape these past few years. I humbly submit this poem. 
 
​The Buddha sits still in Washington D.C.

In the seat of the world's power - the Buddha sits still.

Through all the protests and marches, the cheers and the jeers -the Buddha sits still.

With the wars raging in congress halls and behind white house doors -the Buddha sits still.

The country's young buried in Arlington killed in old men's wars -the Buddha sits still.

Great men have walked these streets and died there too -the Buddha sits still.

Crooks and liars, or politicians as they are often called, call this city home -and the Buddha sits still.

The whole nation is in chaos and yet the Buddha sits still. Immovable, unflinching and unafraid.
Do not mistake his meditation for inaction.

He has seen the illusion and crossed to the other shore. He has met every challenge with peace and dignity. He has had the strength to prevail.

Fall down seven, he has stood up an eighth.

He has fought the injustices of racism, sexism, hate in all its ugly kinds, the prejudices and discriminations of all kinds... and he has prevailed.

He has prevailed. Prevailed. Prevailed.

Who is this Buddha who sits still in Washington D.C.? Who is this Buddha who has met hate and fought it with peace and prevailed?

This unshakable Buddha is you and I. It is the best and it is the worst. It is the potential we all have to prevail.

In the city of chaos, in the place of the world's power, in the mists of battles and wars, in the presence of protests and marches, in the shadows of George Washington to Dr. King, is the Buddha who sits still.

The Buddha sits still but he is not stone nor dead.

He sits still but shakes the whole world.

The Buddha sits still in Washington D.C.

This is a photo I took at the Lincoln Memorial in D.C. overlooking the National Mall. The Washington Monument and the Capitol Building are in the background. The Buddha is a small Nepali style metal Buddha I have had for many years. It was with me while I lived in Japan.

This is a poem that I wrote spontaneously. What is the meaning? Well, what meaning do you get from it?

I would rather have people create their own conclusions from this poem and to give it meaning. It has a meaning to me, but that is my meaning. I will only add this: On the memorial to Martin Luther King in D.C. are carved the words, ‘Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope.’

Out of despair -hope.