Contemplations in Miniature: Seventy-Eight

1. In the shadows of the palace
flowers cry out in anguish,
crickets hold their evening court.

2. One after another
heavy downpours.

One after another
night skies.

In the moon's drowsiness
mirrors shatter.

3. In the mountain waterfall
letters from home
laugh and tumble
in the trees' embrace.

4. Children weep even seeing ants;
elders laugh even seeing elephants.

5. In every corner of white stone
vanished primordial particles of black stone.

6. Dark morning.

Storm?

Yes,
after no.

7. Some race horses to win;
others race horses having won.

8. The bamboo grove
lets the wind arrive
only to let it depart!

9. As two people drew
close to each other
their rainbow
disappeared.

10. She moves her hair aside,
her snow-white neck
lies bare.

Looking that way...
why the hair was lifted,
I no longer remember.

11. In rows of shadows
through music's dance
the shadows lose themselves.

12. Hailstorm at dusk.
Wild geese in flocks
weep, in mud upon mud.

13. Birds conversing
with trees.
By the river's edge
the grief-stricken's ravings.

14. Dry summer day;
waterfalls at leisure,
a woman's sorrow.

15. In the crowd of humans
one inhuman being
looks toward humans,
smiles.

16. Even without wind
some leaves of the tree
tremble.

17. In the leaning hour
through angry rains
into the boiling river.

18. The desert's painter
with brush strokes
places flesh
on human skeletons.

19. The lightning without thunder...
spreads through the ocean's terrible depths
in soundlessness.

20. Seeing twilight descend
innocent fish children
swim and leap
onto dry land.