Wandering Spirit - afutaa za gureito faiaa avu meirekki (after the Great Fire of Meireki)

As if it to be that way or mentioned by the gods ... the Garden for my mother was saved from the Great Fire. So I had the possibility to visit my mother's grave as often as I would like.
Before I left Edo I visited her grave for the last time. I wept a lot. On that moment I decided to leave the ashes of my father on her grave. "Now you both are together again", I whispered as I placed the ashes of my dad on her grave. I bowed to honor them. "I will remember you my dear parents. I will take you both with me in my heart and will always cherish you. I love you".

I left Edo to find the purpose of my life. With a last, but first try, of a waka written on a small piece of silk I had found in one of the burned down houses in my father's neighborhood.

a few last words
in honor and respect
I will leave
from now on I will be
a Wandering Spirit

© Yozakura, in memory of my beloved parents.

"I will be a wandering spirit forever", I said to myself as I left Edo to find the goal of my life.

I really was a wandering spirit now. To find the purpose of my life I became a monk in Ise Grand Shrine or as we Japanese call it, Ise Jingu. This shrine is dedicated to Amaterasu, the sun goddess. Here I hoped to find back the sun of life.
I had a wonderful time at Ise Grand Shrine. I learned to respect life and dead and the everlasting circle of life. And not only that. I learned the aesthetic art-forms of Ikebana and Calligraphy and to break time sometimes I tried to make my martial arts skills better. I often thought back to my youth and as I could I visited the Garden of my Parents.
Slowly Edo was rebuilt and there was a moment that I thought to move back to it, but the sad memories I had were stronger so I remained a wandering spirit who was now a devoted monk at Ise Grand Shrine.

One day I got a surprise visit of Hoshina, my friend and mentor. I was happy to see him and I felt that he had become more handsome notwithstanding his age. He had turned gray, but his eyes had that everlasting sparkle of youth and his body, older of course, was still beautiful. Than I realized that I was still in love with him. He told me that his health had become worse and that he was counting the days until his death. I fell on my knees and cried, cried as I hadn't done since my dad's passing away. Hoshina knelt in front of me. "Yozakura", he said. "Don't cry". He pulled my head to his chest. "Listen Yozakura, listen to the beating of my heart. It still beats full of love for you. My life's days are counted". I looked up at him with red stained eyes and nodded. "I know, I know, but ...", I whispered. Hoshina looked at me and in his eyes I saw that he would like to ask me something. There was no need for him to ask me. "I will come with you Hoshina. I will take care for you during your last years".

スルー・チェリー・ブラサムズ アット・ザ・エﾝド・アヴ・ザ・デイ・- スノー・アﾝ・マウﾝト・フージー

suruu cherii burasamuzu atto za endo avu za dei - sunoo an maunto fuujii

through cherry blossoms
at the end of the day -
snow on Mount Fuji

© よざくら Yozakura

to be continued ...