tree of joy

tree of joy

at dusk
when clouds
are worked
in glow
the swallow’s
eye will flit
upon
…
at dusk
when clouds
drift rain
in dash on
sea
…
at dusk
when stars
swim out of
blue on arms
of glister
…
whatever sky
it is,
at dusk
stand under
that tree, the
one neglected
in view,
the one at the
corner unnoticed
in turning, tree
over a gate
never opened,
stand under that
tree of birds
clamoring for place
to outstay the night,
hear
their wild shredding
kniving the air
into bits of loud
know
yourself under
the tree of joy
that every
gleaming
that every
rain
that every
dark has
covered
over
you
under

that
we
outstay
the night
in dawning
and in
dying

october 2019, may 2020
riverside

The shakuhachi is from a live performance by Mamino Yorita of Koden Sugomori (the melody assumed to be closest to that of the original Tsuru no sugomori (Cranes nesting). A number of other versions exist.