tanka

Ekphrastic Tanka #8: Youthful Gaze

in early morning light
you dance in the golden fields
of a brand new day
when we are young we struggle
when we are old we rejoice

the world is awake
the whole word awakening
this world waking dream
how many kalpas to come?
secrets revealed in the lights

when you call to me
summoning present trumpets
my answer still echoes
reverberating valley wide
resonating through the clouds

we remember you
we voices in the river
flowing through centuries
what is lost can never speak
what is remembered: a dream

given end of days
showing Heaven’s last gasp
rocks scattered like leaves
gods breathing timeless wonder
we wait below wordlessly

Heaven entwines Earth
we creatures intertwining
bound unto glory
I see your eyes in my gaze
locked now in eternity

always in our mind
swirling ’round to end of time
you from whom we come
we come to you in time of need
giving you our precious seed

hear my ancient call
from mists beyond the hermit’s cell
see the rising dawn
we who gaze with bated breath
journeying from one to all

we stand together
through thick and thin
married at birth
silently honouring wordless treaties