Notan

Richard Luftig

 

In Japanese, the balance between darkness and light. 

 

The last minutes 

of paltry light 

is when sun 

reveals 

 

its magic  

deep 

so deep, upon crests 

of waves 

 

and ghosts 

emerge 

from reefs 

to watch  

 

a tired tide  

turn in 

against itself. 

But remain 

 

still, follow 

your breath, 

be patient, 

and moonlight 

 

will appear, 

hover 

over sand-owned 

dunes 

 

that seem 

to try 

but never succeed 

to caress 

 

a receding sea. 

This is  

the moment  

when shadows 

 

(continued) 

 

 

offer their greatest 

gifts— 

the sweet avoidance 

of things, 

 

where future 

returns to past 

and one’s life  

truly begins.