by Joseph Pfeffer

Moments, wistfully, cool like calm waters,
Unfold from the broad port in Onomichi,

Neat wooden boardwalk, we slowly wander
And slick salted air plays at your hair.

Watch the horned boats come and come,
Red and jade artefact, sea-hush thrum,

Underlined rust on a once cream steel.
Far flung islands adjoined by highwire:

We cycled the circling path by the shore,
Saw what we could until we were sore –

We ate at a whim, cold beers’ condensation,
Lost in that little hot room and translation with

That obasan who magicked a meal from
Disparate cabbage and shallots and egg and

We were gleeful to find she loved perfume too,
one of the few Japanese artists we knew.

Ascending by breeze petal corridor paths,
We traipsed between titan mountains like gods

Until storms lashed our cheeks and we laughed,
Suspended in thunderous skies over rush oceans,

And as the storm broke over sunset beach
We spoke a final goodbye into the clear forever waters.

Along those paths we peeled mandarin skins,
Waved and smiled at white-gloved politicians.

At the port now, we wait for the ferry to come –
It taxies in slow. There’s motor’s hum.

Mono no aware. Awareness of things.
Like sentinels, watch under Honshu’s sun.