stillness in motion

Walking along the edge of a small Japanese town sandwiched between the sea and a quick-rising mountain ridge, I came upon a temple complex with this written at its entrance.

“Try to remember the names of even seemingly insignificant flowers growing along the path on which you walk. It helps for the long journey of your time on earth.”

I wondered, was the person who wrote this message really referring to flowers, maybe the flowers on the long path of a temple pilgrimage, or was he speaking generally about the small details of life—a baby’s smile, the taste of the first strawberries of the year, the feeling of a spring breeze after a long winter, etc.?

(1)

its beak full of straw
the old crow reminds me
starting over is easy

(2)

bobbing along
with the ducks on the pond
plastic bottles

(3)

the music stopped
and everything
changed

(4)

sand in the eye
a tiny forget-me-not
left behind by winter

(5)

a brief pause
amidst the preparations
for you spring breeze

(6)

sand dunes
inching their way forward
stillness in motion

(7)

a pinecone
on the temple steps
my companion

As always, thank you for reading.
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