Duality as Unity

The purity of peonies is marred

In Japanese imagination . . . by

Two brothers who opted to disregard

The beauty lives had brought them.  Duty’s sly

Demands for Emperor required them . . . to

Commit twinned harikari after loss

In battle.  Once the older of these two

Had taken off his armor so that gloss

From peonies could enter into him

More fully, wanting only petals’ peace

To beam its way through skin and sing its hymn

Of perfect whiteness, making it increase.

  These certain types of madness govern men

    In loyalty of loving and in Zen.

©  Phillip Whidden