Black Smudge of Mt Fuji
2018
In this Winter Wonderland, everyone remembers
Snow-capped brown mountains, cherry leaves,
And the sunset blushing the sky a
Tinge of pink and violet.
But I –
I remember seeing a duckling,
Sulfur yellow beak, little coal eyes
A black fleeting stroke against the
Canvas of the rising sun;
Sway fierce despite the brash thrust of the sea.
I remember turning the corner of a
Desolate grey street, stumbling
Upon a war between waves and mountains
Pushing and pulling and pulling and pushing –
I remember watching this duckling,
The rope in this tug-of-war.
It’s red string of fate drowning
In the labyrinth of a darkened sea;
The life in its eyes still searing me anyway.
As we watched one another,
A duckling and a girl,
I realised:
We are children born of black smudges and snow
Ashes of volcanoes still trying to burn.