枯山水 レモン zen garden lemon
photography by man of aran
still life with miniature Zen garden (and line from William Carlos Williams) the grapes are almost gone the strawberries too I’m afraid both delicious so sweet and so cold if you’ll not mind I’m about to slice a wedge from the last lemon and squeeze a few drops with a dash of zest onto the mosses in the rock garden here on my desk no not to consume a gesture rather for the rake-rippled waters have long been calm and empty the island outcrops in colour and contour changeless with nothing to undo the perfect stillness of my compact Zen replica (other than an errant feather) contemplation is what it’s for I know as daily I seek to gather settle and release my thoughts my mind my spirit stone by stone shade by shade like a rosary it’s just an urge a need I have for a waft a wave a frisson let’s say of tartness acidic and sour that’s all call it baptismal do enjoy the last few grapes and strawberries though and help yourself to the remaining lemon— the palate can only take so much sweetness - - - - - - *The above photo and poem featured as part of the weekly Symbolic Scribbles Series at Saccharum, where an ongoing collaboration of poets with poets happens. Check it out.
Wonderful!
What I like best about this one is the Zen of a complete poem within your poem — stripped naked — no painting, no explanation, no surplusage required
‘Still Life’ ends quietly on the word ‘stillness’
That’s the poem that struck me
I love blueberries, especially in the summer time. Raisans are another one of my favorite fruits. I remember my Mom would always make my sister and I eat raisans for lunch. I hated them at the time. I remember getting stuck eating them for lunch at school when I was in third grade. One of my classmates wanted to trade something from her lunch for something of mine. She decided that she wanted my potato or barbeque chips for her grapes. I didn't care for the green grapes that she gave me, but I wanted to play with her and be her friend. We ended up playing together during recess.
When my Mom found out that I was trading part of my lunch to a classmate of mine, she wasn't too happy about it. I'm not sure if my sister trade part of her lunch to a classmate of hers or if she ended up eating her raisans during lunch recess
I want to add that those pictures of the Japanese Gardens are beautiful. Japan must be a beautiful country