… Stone lanterns old shrines
Along now crowded streets still
… Line the sacred way ……. (John McAteer)
Fourteen pilgrims participated in a walk on 5 July in Kyoto to pray for our poet friends, Moya Bligh and Jane Wieman, who both, in quite different ways, have recently dipped beyond the horizon. Accompanied by Moya’s son Ronan (and a visiting Gilad), we set out from Kaminoki 神ノ木 Benzaiten Jinja at Arisugawa on a breezy early summer’s day. A haiku we came across on a stone by Itsukinomiya, our first resting place on Sanjo: 往く道は一つしかない茜雲 （喝夫坊）
The road ahead / just one alone – / scarlet sunset clouds ……. (Priest Katsuobo)
snip snip snip around a corner two men pruning pines (Moya Bligh)
butterfly – an iridescent greeting at the open door (Jane Wieman)
verdurous temple – ……. lights sway with branches
spots on moss … ………… your soul might be visiting ……. (Keiko Yurugi)
Saimei Shrine – Rokuoin - and then to the Sanjo bend in the Oi River and a view across tall reeds and ayu fishermen’s rods towards distant Matsuo.
remembering / the last time / I heard her voice – /my toes cool in the river ……. (David McCullough)
Past the stone lantern where Stephen and Margarite had once been mistaken for mountain gods returning … north to Ichijo and, just off it, the Seiryoji Kyogen Hall, where we ate our lunch and read some more of Moya & Jane’s poems. Zen Nakamura hosted. A few walkers left and a few others arrived.
Seto Stream fields – / And poets file / Past orange lilies / She would have drawn … ……. (Tito)
John McA. offered a walking shoe each – for Moya & Jane – at the Sen-ou-no-mizu Benzaiten spring 仙翁の水.
Discarded shoes – …………………………..
Before the Jizo statue …………………….
New-born cicada …….. (John Dougill)
… an afternoon firefly
… stopping on his arm -
… postman with
… a distant card?
….. (Mari Kawaguchi)
The walk ended at the Noborigame Stone beside the First Sacred Arch of Atago Shrine in Adashino. Once back in the Kyogen-do at Seiryoji, a small celebration with beer and tofu was held.
In the cathedral of bamboo
a web stretches wide -
………..Hush! ……. (Moya Bligh)
