Night, Light, Leaves

Modern poetry modern verse contemporary poetry contemporary verse modern poem contemporary poem

We went sailing at

Night — but now with sun on sails —

We see shores’ young leaves.

~ Buson [Englished by Phillip Whidden]

At night the leaves, child leaves, cannot be seen

Upon the shores.  The holy moonlight on

Them veils before they meet the meaninged scene

Prepared for them this ordinary dawn.

The ordinary wings the sacred drift

Of light to leaves and, yes, to sails as well.

It is as if Christ’s light along can lift

The mast of sails and make young leaves to swell

With definition of the deepest lines

Of scriptures.  Mast and sails have run through night

But only now are inspiration’s signs

Revealed in letters hidden, then pale white.

  The pallid revelation comes to you

    Despite all priests.  Young leaves come into view.