Cherry blossoms
and the shy smiles of thin monks
Sitting in their full lotus
smell of incense and wood
like birds that won’t leave

and then it’s back to
looking out the
window again but
it’s nothing now
because the sun sets early
in December.

Anna Fedorova plays
Rach 2 and
I think there should be
someone here listening
with me ( maybe when i turn
around she’ll smile
touched by what touches me
or  maybe she’ll even
approach and press
close while Anna goes
through the nuances
of the performance)

or maybe there’s ghosts
leaning against the walls
silent audience finding some
type of comfort hiding in
corners watching

but they’re not
used to being seen or
talk so that it’s just
the nothing
and Anna
and me
and Rach 2

while the monks breathe
placidly with closes eyes
like neonates sucking milk
and the cherry blossoms reign
the landscape like bull-gods
come to mate and
the galaxies slowly swirl and
twist and twirl
inching their way towards nowhere.

# # #

J.C. Mari