2484
7.292
21.x.26
Koozenji
Kiso
Fukushima
the pond and the daylit lantern
shadow and rill
light touch of breeze
tree shaped to fit
moss for the socks
all sorts of stones laid for a way
someone is shouting away in the hills
a thousand years ago
on with the river
a little bamboo fence
between us and the past
and the view
leaves at the time of turning
such as all time is
2483
7.291
20.x.26
cloudless,
drumming
all the trees get drunk
in toe socks stand
with a bamboo flute to tune
we have to hold them up
here’s unison
make a face
as if it were the sun
dancing up down with the mountains
deep diffident bow
streets are drunk
all join in
rise, tap, point up
as far as we are inland here
a conch to conjure the sea
make an earthquake cymbal crash
that’s just to have arrived
no need to imagine the heavenly bodies
just wait out the light of the day
2482
7.290
19.x.26
how
does a castle vanish?
Kiso
Fukushima
three years ago they put up the sign to say
three years ago a bear was seen
steam rises from the wild stream
so this must be the place
railway town – mountain steps of old sleepers
traffic slows for a bridge, for the lights
how does a castle vanish?
it’s beyond the falls
Ontake Kodo
used to be one hundred days of indoctrination –
the cold water training –
before you were let up
roars like a road, this river
that must be where we got the idea
someone stopped here before
it was their own superstition
it was make it up as you go
a stone fox then
what’s it got in its mouth?
… choking risk
how does a castle just vanish?
here’s the schoolboy with bells
on his way home
in three years time
come the bears
we can wait
here’s the red turning edge of the leaf
that’s how the season’s called
2481
7.289
18.x.26
leftover
clouds
of a storm
of another day yet
still as a map
some see through to blue
some depart
there’s fade and fray
there’s breath of fresh
revival thereof
and a bright beam too
each not what it was
nor will it be
but such as your bird admires for shade
community of cloud, one could say
each to a sky its own – a solo
and here was such a mind
to show the way we go
with never a thought of rain
2481
7.288
17.x.26
mist
lifting
so the lake is lit
so shines
so a shadow casts
you could top a mountain with
a mist slips back
can’t see your feet
day ‘s made of rain
it’s one step after another
on trust
then see across the waters yet
forest folds revealed
and sudden as a dream
how a patch of it now glows
2480
7.287
16.x.26
uphill
catching
breath
hearts race in lowest gear
stop for a line
or stop and a line will come
as in the leaf on which light’s written
least creatures down tools
vanish where they were never seen
now time shows a circuit of paths
they collapse
though not to quite what was before
they go back, they go down
we go on for now
today play anachronism
even an engine takes pause uphill
full sun for the chainsaw siesta
walking plantation
all the green world’s catching breath
still here despite
what’s time to a tree?
we grow all ways at once
uphill
the young will of course power past
where’s the wisdom in that?
moss between rocks to focus the mind
who’ll have simple silence mean?
who’ll be mystic monk in disguise?
as with a single thought, so breath
uphill is always and ever for heaven
good enough for any tree
that has to be our aim
stump becomes a lamp
go slow – see more
you could sit for a bit
they still smoke Peace and Mild 7
cheap too
that won’t help you here
give me Calpis, give me Pocari
every word is a world
each is less than the way
be still
here now
catch breath
2479
7.286
15.x.26
walking
the old post road
the way underleaf and the way grows over
foot massage, balance challenge
bones of all the years laid here
to glory all who’ve made the way
the scythes and the spades and the stones they
brought
little offerings for time –
that’s the way
singing’s unseen, high in the trees
walking the old road
made like a stream
those hard arrows of rain will make it
crevice of moss out of light
glimpse of the blinding through bamboo
leaves me this second sun
to go on with
see a man carrying his bicycle
up the steep stones – taihen!
doesn’t he know NO WHEELS!
it won’t matter why you’ve come
who you serve
what errand you run
the way will make you a pilgrim
