Before he was enlightened under the tree br He fasted and self-tortured every way. br He had no friends, just fellow ascetics, men br Who ate but one small grain of rice each day. br His body became shriveled to the bone, br His only home the forest and the sky. br br The rain and lightning came down from the sky, br So he sought shelter underneath a tree. br A carcass he saw nearby, to the bone br The vultures had already picked away br The flesh entire upon that very day. br He knew death was the destiny which men br br All faced as life approached its end: yes, men br Like he, and as his eyes turned toward the sky br He wondered if his time had come that day. br The wind blew savagely and shook the tree. br He pondered to himself, “I’ve lost the way, ” br And sure enough protruded every bone br br Of his sad shriveled frame and every bone br As well of those devout ascetic men br Who starved as he did, searching for the way br To find release from suffering. The sky br Burst open, rain fell on his sheltering tree br And soaked his ragged clothing all the day, br br The dark-gray clouds extinguishing the day- br Light, and though he was wasted, every bone br In his frail body cried for help. The tree br Said nothing nor did the ascetic men br Who left him to die, when suddenly the sky br Grew bright; a girl fed him, showed him the way br br That he would come to call the Middle Way br Between denial and indulgence. Day- br Break, and he saw the truth as if the sky br Itself spoke to the marrow in his bones br And freed him from the extremes of mortal men br While meditating under the Bodhi tree. br br Under that tree he found the Middle Way br To free all men from pain: How bright the day! br And not a bone-white cloud was in the sky.br br Richard St.