Ashita to ashita no tame no tanka (tanka for tomorrow, and tomorrow)
A fog-covered pond
Blinking for just a moment
Blessed swan alighted
Subtle motions of heaven
The slow rising sun breaks through
watashino jinsei ni ko wo egaku
shoshite watashi wa kumo kara kiita “Oute!” toiu koe wo
ima wa watashi no bandesu…
I drew a circle around my life
from the cloud I heard a voice say “Check!”
now it’s my turn
Prayers
East
The death of the martyr, stigmata.
A whisper, a phrase. Ja mata.
The whites of the eyes. Heaven aims, ready.
Fire from the sky upward gaze steady
Nuclear futures burn brighter, shiro
The children left their silhouette, kuro
Cradle
Like diamonds in darkness; blood in my car
Cultural empire Allah Akbar
The lives of the saints, disaster and grace
Anxious eyes condemn behind a veiled face
Your treasure, values, resource, we mine
Shokran
Your treasure, values, resource, is mine
Shokran, jazeelan
West
Oh God what is freedom?
Dear God what is death?
Grace, power, sin
Absorbed in a breath.
Atmosphere, progress, social architects
Science and blind-faith the leap made perfect
We send out our money. We send out war.
We send out our loveless. We hope for more.
Amen.
