A Few Words

    kusa, yama, akai
    grass, mountain, red

    asa, morning
    uma, horse

    natsu kawa
    summer river

    tori no koe    the bird’s voice

Ima, now          this world? a boat that rows off in morning, leaving no trace

Odori is dance—
kuroko, shadow people, move so slowly
the audience can barely see them against the black backdrop
they separate, reveal a girl, almost a child, almost naked

she wakes, uncurls, rises, oh she turns
and leaps, it’s sweet to live and she doesn’t look at
the kuroko, edging toward her, closing in, herding, pushing