Kyoto Japan - April 8, 2012

When I was small, you guided me through the woods
To hunt for grapes on the vine
Crunching over leaves and sticks
Encouraging me to take in the world with all my senses
To feel wonder at the world around me
My world was small
Everything that I knew, everything that was important
Could be found within a 10-mile radius
Of our home, my heart
Through the years, as I grew, my world grew and yet
You remained constant
A force to be reckoned with when disturbed
A calm to ease the doubt that crept into my mind
A solace when there was hurt
And there was hurt
We were knit together through blood and love
Lately, I’ve found myself lost
I was hoping you would guide me through the woods again
But there was a distance forming
Deeper than the Ausable Chasm of my youth
Only I didn’t really notice until
The cherry blossoms began to peak at the start of April
Fragrance and muted color swirling in the air
Life can begin again when the wind sweeps past
If you are there to feel it
I’ve been told that honor and tradition run deep
through the waters that surround Kiyomizu-dera Temple
Longevity, enlightenment, love radiate all around
Though I have never drunk from all three streams
Or even a single one
I feel greedy
That my demands are unreasonable
And I don’t know how to navigate back to a place
Where we walk, hand in hand, through the woods