Buddhist Temple | Tiger Riding for Beginners

Photograph of the roof of the Cheng Hoon Teng Temple taken from the upper floor of the Xiang Lin Si Temple in the Jonker Walk / Chinatown area of Malacca, Malaysia.

From the dark depths
   of a temple,
      eyes open & blink
   against the sunlight
       pouring through
   a narrow second set
       of eyes.

What shapes form across
    the way?

It's the roof of a second -- 
    more ancient -- temple
        that stands across 
    the street.

This monk has opened 
    eyes on that view a 
       thousand times before,
    and each time has 
        forgotten the centuries 
    old neighboring temple
        existed.