This is the second part to Poetic Confessions at dVerse Poetics Pub. Secret fears, life, love…what we hide inside….
Deep in the night
When all things cease to move
Except for the dreams
That creep in under
The laser security of our brains
And our hearts,
Hanami.
Sakura strung with white lights
People underneath –
Families, lovers, friends.
Music and wine flow,
laughter rises and falls,
Braiding together in a
circle dance of celebration.
Cherry blossom petals fall
And whirl in the wind
Mono no aware….
things bloom, things pass,
Things die.
This is a celebration of now –
Just before the passing.
That space between breaths.
You lift the cup of sake
To my lips and I sip.
You lean towards me and sip
From my lips.
“Wake up, wake up.”
I’m being tossed by the wind.
“Wake up, you are having a bad dream.”
I slow my breathing,
Orient to here and now.
My husband asks, “are you alright?
Are you awake?”
I nod and pat his hand.
I can’t go back to sleep
But I still see inside that dream.
A few years ago, Jeff
Visited you during hanami
And told you I had married.
He said you acted surprised
Then grieved and was cranky
For several days.
Did you really think I would
I would live entombed
And preserved in amber?
Mono no aware….
things bloom, things pass
Things die.
Things bloom again.
kanzen sakura 
Mar 10, 2015 @ 21:10:42
Things die.
This is a celebration of now …nice section there…
and i like how you echo it at the end…
opportunities missed…no we cant wait for ever…
i also like the intimacy of drinking the sake from the lips too..ha…
Mar 10, 2015 @ 22:05:35
Yes, things die but thankfully, other things bloom. I hope sake will become popular at the Pub! it is a lovely drink – in much moderation. 😊
Mar 10, 2015 @ 21:15:26
“Music and wine flow,
laughter rises and falls,
Braiding together in a
circle dance of celebration.”
I love the use of the action of braiding to bring these ideas together…brilliant in its entirety!
Mar 10, 2015 @ 22:56:09
Thank you. At the time, I could see it in my mind.
Mar 11, 2015 @ 10:21:35
Very visual.
Mar 10, 2015 @ 22:22:55
“Braiding together in a
circle dance of celebration.” Gorgeous, Kanzen!
Mar 10, 2015 @ 22:41:34
Thank you my most dear Huntie.
Mar 10, 2015 @ 22:29:43
I was carried away by the dreamlike quality of this poem. I really like these lines, but I really can’t say exactly why…just strike me as being so very, very poetic, and as I read them I listen to my breath & think about NOW.
“This is a celebration of now –
Just before the passing.
That space between breaths.”
And yes, there is the rise and fall, the death and rebirth, the cycles of life. There is always another ‘bloom’ on the horizon!
Mar 10, 2015 @ 22:41:13
All your comments came on wonderfully. yes, there is the rise and fall, the beginning, middle, end, beginning. And that is why the Samurai are associated so closely to the cherry blossoms. they pass quickly. Like the petals falling in a snow, one by one….the space between the breaths, they celebrate now.
Mar 10, 2015 @ 22:30:33
testing
Mar 10, 2015 @ 22:31:19
Sorry – erase the ‘testing’ comment and this one. I didn’t know if my comment TOOK or not.
Mar 10, 2015 @ 23:06:16
“…things bloom, things pass
Things die.
Things bloom again.”
OMG. All this time, it hasn’t clicked about Sakura. These last three lines were the revelation. ❤ ❤ ❤
Mar 11, 2015 @ 11:59:10
I’m sorry it brought sadness to you.
Mar 11, 2015 @ 14:28:33
It’s okay. Suddenly I heard ‘Sakura’ for the first time since we got together. All this time I’ve been reading it, seeing it, writing it and not once did the connection happen until I read the ending of your poem.
It’s a superb poem. ❤ ❤
Mar 11, 2015 @ 14:56:10
💗 💗 💗
Mar 11, 2015 @ 15:54:51
{{{ ❤ }}}
Mar 11, 2015 @ 00:43:25
Love the repetition and what it represents here….and there is nothing more beautiful than sakura strung with white lights!!
Mar 11, 2015 @ 12:07:19
The only thing I have seen more beautiful, is the morning I saw so many in bloom with Fuji in the distance. that is one of those memories I treasure deeply.
Mar 11, 2015 @ 01:38:59
The cicle of dying and birth is so apparent. Somehow the bloom is always mingled with sadness as we know that it’s brief.. Just like a bare branch is laced with hope. The sharing of sake was a great image of blooms.
Mar 11, 2015 @ 12:06:01
Thank you. Must be end of winter/beginning of spring. I seem to be in that birth/death/rebirth cycle lately. 🙂
Mar 11, 2015 @ 06:24:03
Memories flicker like quicksilver ~ Love the wisdom of these words :
Mono no aware….
things bloom, things pass
Things die.
Things bloom again.
Mar 11, 2015 @ 06:52:35
Life, we die a little every day. Sad missed opportunities.
Mar 11, 2015 @ 12:04:37
ahhh, but that new opportunity at the end more than makes up for it. 🙂
Mar 11, 2015 @ 09:57:21
just lovely – aren’t old loves always preserved in amber, the perfect memory that erases all our faults. I read this one over several times, savoring each word.
Mar 11, 2015 @ 12:03:17
Thank you! old loves are preserved but this newer love is the one that seems perfect. The old love is sweet but bittersweet.
Mar 11, 2015 @ 12:06:15
memory and time perfect old love – living in the present is much to be preferred.
Mar 11, 2015 @ 12:09:55
Yes, it is.
Mar 11, 2015 @ 23:00:59
Such a clear display of the conquering of language. Absolutely chilling at points, especially the following:
“Did you really think I would
I would live entombed
And preserved in amber?”
“things bloom, things pass
Things die.”
Extreme applause. This is monumental in strength.
Mar 11, 2015 @ 23:20:26
I do thank you muchly! I appreciate very much your comments! Good to have you join the group too. I think you will enjoy it.
Mar 12, 2015 @ 15:39:57
i love the hope there in the close – the life after the dying… that nothing lasts forever and that new things always find their way to break through
Mar 12, 2015 @ 15:53:47
😊 Yes, they do and I hope this one lasts forever.
Mar 12, 2015 @ 15:56:04
Yes.. to celebrate change is to live in now.. and to stay anywhere else.. in my mind.. is not to live at all..a pause for life.. is necessary at times.. but to gear in now.. is a flow of light.. for me in now.. or meow.. for my cat
at least.. in more..:)
Mar 12, 2015 @ 15:59:41
Yes, indeed! 🙂
Mar 14, 2015 @ 00:51:57
I just love how you weave the words together into such beautiful images. A simple turn of a word and you go from sipping tea to a kiss. Entombed and preserved in amber what a vision. In love and light Cheryle
Mar 14, 2015 @ 11:51:43
Thank you so very much for your kind words. I am so happy that you enjoyed this.