Red prince of my heart
That quenches my thirst for the history of a thousand years, In your presence sprouts the life force of knowledge
In the garden of my consciousness.
The eternal flame of the butter lamp that flickers in my eyes Is stoked by my sweat and blood.
The land of snows has entrusted everything to you, And you too
Fearlessly speak the word of truth
For the sake of our hopes and prayers.
Potala Palace!
The consciousness of my forefathers rests On your high throne.
I forever
Will decorate your pillars with golden rings.
But the fierce wind from the East
Has many times racked with tongues of flame Your tender form.
O great yogi, in whose heart swirls unadulterated compassion, You forever
Like the blood moving in my body
Will rise to face the challenge of history.
Embodying the integrity of a nation,
Even though you are hurt you lick your wounds And stand proud in all circumstances.
While the sharp fangs of a dark beast
A tailless dog pretending to be a lion
Utters empty threats from its cave.
Potala Palace!
The solitary hero, never changing. I forever
Will serve under your blessing.
Potala Palace!
From the first time I welcomed the sun and the moon Until when the circulation of my blood stops,
My loyalty to you in body, speech, and mind
Shall remain eternal.
Translated by Woeser and published originally at High Peaks Pure Earth
Tashi is a young Tibetan from Rebkong in eastern Tibet who was featured in a piece titled “Out of Tibet” by Alec Ash that was published both online on Danwei.Com and also in print in a volume called “Chinese Characters: Profiles of Fast-Changing Lives in a Fast-Changing Land”, edited by Angilee Shah and Jeffrey Wasserstrom.