yamazakura

above the clouds
warrior rain gathers
and waits to soak winter’s bones
with heaven’s blood falling
on cold hard ground
a life for a life
returned

new air breathing
above time and weather
branched cherry wood heavy
with buds threatens in its blooming
to explode and flower for a final moment
before reprisal and death take flight and wind
everything on duty’s reel of tumbling atonement

meet me at the edge of heaven to bless my eyes
release whatever love is stiff inside my chest
and burst it like a bomb of cherry blossom

war and combat are only time’s passing
stirred by our turbulence and pride
as the arrogance in our hearts
in its one last flourish drops
its petals like grace dying
after hitobashira after
the self- sacrifice
of humanity
already
lost

and
weeps
for whatever
repetition of tears
calms the sorrow
of going

© BH, 2019

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After I wrote ‘sakura’ as a response to Poetry24’s Sunday challenge - IN A WORD - I was reminded that kamikaze pilots took cherry branches with them on their suicide mission. Symbolic of life’s ephemeral nature.

I thought it poignant to contrast the serene Zen-ness of falling petals and tea and peace with the falling away of youth in combat.

I wrote this as a companion piece.