It is a garden
Made for all senses
You may sit
On reed mats in the old retainer’s quarters
Eating fresh fish and vinegared rice
Drinking beer or sake
While contemplating the garden
At the heart of this hideaway
Or let your feet wander
Over rough round stones upthrust
Then shimmy across the old granite bridge
Where camellia japonicas kiss the eye with red
Sculpted bushes with their envious symmetry
Stone lanterns with their ponderousness
The running water drowns out the city around you
And burbles around the edges of consciousness
Every blade of grass is there by design
As is every flower
The cherry that perfumes the air in spring
The cosmos that freshen it in summer
This land
Which has known famine, fire, and warfare in its time
Has found the secret to making places of peace like this
If only the world could learn and share this
If only I could make such a garden in my heart
No comments:
Post a Comment