Saturday, May 13, 2006

Storm dream

Bamboo grove (chikurin), Sagano, western Kyoto, Summer 1996, by Michael

Distant thunder in the dead of night
stirs my sleep
floats me to a level
just below consciousness

Through half-shut eyes
I can see
a bamboo grove
smell its musty dampness
feel its moist soil underfoot
then I awaken
and realize
I'm still in New Jersey

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I believe I see light in the distance on that path.

I can't tell the perspective in the photo ... are we looking up or down those steps?

Michael said...

Hah! Good question. I never noticed the ambiguous perspective. Actually, it's looking up the steps (if memory serves).

Lone Wolf said...

New Jersey Bamboo Steps

Up
Down
Awake
Dreaming
Half Full,
Half Empty,
Who Knows?

What a great picture. I just assumed the steps were going up, but after kitty's comment I saw they were also going down.
Bueatiful poem Michael!

Michael said...

Thanks so much for your poem and kind words, Lone Wolf!

LBseahag said...

This really moved me...something about stairs representing the beaten path...

Your site will always be my guilty pleasure :)

Michael said...

Thanks, LB, and good to hear from you!