An Abbreviated History
on the Way of Tea

The history of tea
nothing more than
a study of relations
between host and guest:

Sen-no-Rikyu expected a visit
from Emperor Hideyoshi.
The evening preceding his arrival
a light snow fall.
The master lay cushions
on each stepping stone,
and upon the taiko's arrival
the garden covered
in a mantle of snow,
a path of stones standing out
to welcome him.

Frost on branches,
your arrival
in the garden.

Tracking the movement of seasons-
the placement of the hearth in winter
to offer you consolation from the cold.

Arranged in an earthen vase:
A branch of yellowed leaves,
a foxtail.

Water boiling
the murmur of wind
through pine trees.

The knot on the wisk
pointing upwards.
A deviation from ceremony
a suggestion of desire
I could not articulate.

A scrap of paper
streaked with green
hidden in a sleeve
found hours after meeting.

Words falling from an envelope.

Melted wax
coating the interior
of a stone lantern.

Folded into an
overnight bloom,
the lovers.