Ascents and descents scatter the skyline
Chronicled timelines, inked highs and lows
Morning mist collected in clear jars, held up to the afternoon sun
Sunlight warms yesterday’s moments, mixing past and present
My father’s voice drifts in and out, never alone
Peaks and valley traversed
He walks by my side
The sky’s long arm sweeps the clouds aside
Allowing a blank canvas to emerge
Streaked tails reach out
Stretched as far as possible before the burst
Leaving imprints for all to view
Staggered brilliance illuminates the sky
A visual orchestra, a salvo of feelings released
The crescendo turns night to day
A moment of awe follows
As dandelioned sparks float slowly down
Silently expiring into the night
Simmering pork broth over a low flame
Patiently waiting for the right time to emerge
An old man behind a counter fans the flames
Rekindled coals sizzle as skewered juices drop and kiss the glow
Glasses clink, followed closely by the sound of a smooth pour
Filling the room with a hungering anticipation of what is next to come
Laughter, conversation and chatter dance in unison
Ingredients meant to intermingle, an umami of a different sort
The first sip, the first bite, the first taste
The eyes and mind already feasting, the palate waiting patiently for its turn
Friends and family gathering together
Savor and gratitude just moments away
The drift that immediately follows
Invisible, yet felt
The crevice fills with a lingering palpable silence
That a wave of a hand cannot brush away
The air turns a different shade
And for a split second
Everything stops
Waiting for your reply
The shape of a circle
Best describes you and me
A connection without an end
Our followed paths
Always reconnecting, eventually
Our separate ways, we go
Time lapses, without concern
Pathways converge in time
So parting ways
Is never a sad goodbye
Farewells always accompanied with a smile
Intuitively we both understand
Circles, our friendship
Until then
Ja mata
Floating somersaults take their time
Allowing a quick glance to turn into a long gaze
Simplicity’s breath painted in mid air
Captured in a photograph that lays to rest in my memory
Tucked away, later for safekeeping
Waiting for the right moment to resurface when needed most
To remind me of this feeling of beauty
Balancing the scales in hope’s favor, just enough
To allow me to endure and continue moving forward
It’s not what is said
Nor what is unsaid, either
My gaze offers a glimmer beneath the surface, but it’s not a tell
My walk, long strides that have traveled long roads
Strength from uphill climbs, sometimes without end
Sturdied downhill descents tested unmeasured muscles
Yet I still find one continues in front of the other, I go
A spotlight shines on the realization that I am ok
The warmth of the sun’s rays hugs my shoulders and draws me in, closer
Without words, tells me I will be fine
And I let out a sigh of relief
Daijobu
