Axis Mundi Vision

There is a temple inside of me
under a grassy tell;
made of viridian stone
by a sacred spring;
facing a northeasterly orient,
according to the forks of Loki's key

It is surrounded by a wall,
topped with a zoo of muscled mascots:
bears, gorillas, tigers and marsupials

At the approaching gate
by the posts
are two archangels and their channeling hosts:
Vishnu with Krishna stands guard,
Gabriel with Muhammad also

A baptismal pool
some 60ft long
Beckons me near
with a heavenly pitch
that pierces the heart
Before it lie the shed skins of many creatures,
reptilian and mammalian

A spectacle of spirit dance
is performed by Hanuman --dressed in the guise of Qingu-- and the ancient unnamed shamaness
--in lion costume--
to mock-distract the pilgrim

I dare pass between them
and am torn in two
My flesh falls to the ground
as my astral body breaks free
and shakes like a leaf

I enter the waters
Beneath the surface,
I hear the sound of many voices
And a rejuvenating sensation
--neither frigid nor scorching,
but kind of both--
encapsulates me in ecstasy
Then I emerge via a lapis stairway

Beyond this test is a thin wedge:
the goal of every soul
I slip through like a poltergeist
In the vestibule,
Abraham and his Sabaean kin welcome me warmly
with Bedouin coffee and dates
and greet me with "Shalom"

The sanctuary is entered by a narrow hall
lined with the flags of many clans
that hang from tridents, spears, menorahs and other abstract totems

It's kind of like a stadium
--split-leveled for each mode--
and accommodates a smorgasbord of devotees,
who take up their abode

At the entrance, middle piece
stand Ish Adama and Isha Heba
Locked in an embrace,
they are beholding the glorious One,
who illuminates their countenance

In the upper tier at centre
is Pashupati Yogi
He leads his congregation
in active body prayer
And submerged from view,
in an artifact cell,
I see Nandi bull bowing

To their right and slightly down,
Buddha lies half awake;
his disciples lean in like position,
beholding bliss in repose
A sacred elephant bends low, hidden under its window

Opposite at upper left,
Guru Nanak with wild hair
dances with a sword
in worship of his Master,
as subterranean camel supports his Sikh retinue

Before him, in the lower level
are five prophets at its rear:
Moses, Daniel, Ezekiel and Elijah
and also John the Baptist
While the former stands,
the others are in different stages
of prostration
Together they make
a wave of adoration

Across from them
under the bodhisattvas,
Zoroaster kneels in prayer
Under his wings are Mani, Lao Tzu,
and two other guides I did not expect

On the lowest level,
upon a floor of gold
stands Malchizedek
Behind him are holy saints robed in white
Among them are Kuthor, Ziusudra and Enoch

An orchestra of seraphim and earthlings
facilitates the devotional ambience
And before them all,
on a mat of Eden's soil
are two depressions
spanning 18 ft--
not quite the feet of man
nor of lion nor of lamb,
yet all three;
It's hard to tell

Behind them is a wall of thickest glass, yet virtually transparent
Or maybe it's a stargate:
an elusive cosmic plane
Through it I can see the roots
of an ancient tree cascading
and surrounded in mist

I am so at home
but where do I belong?
Part of me wants to rest among those in bliss
Another wishes to kneel with the agni holders

Yet I love to breathe for God
and also to sing with the charismatics
I could even dance with the warriors
All are possible

But this day, I decide
to join with the prophets
and yield in reverence