Andrew Lansdown: ‘Unleafed Weeping Cherry’, ‘Apprehension’, ‘Loss’, ‘Lotus Pod Innovations’

Unleafed Weeping Cherry
Maruyama Park, Kyoto

1
Shidarezakura

The way a woman
might bow her head and let fall
her curtaining hair—
thus in her naked sorrow
the autumn weeping cherry.

2
Sumi-e

Autumn has made
of the famous century-old
weeping cherry tree
a striking grey-against-blue
Japanese ink-brush painting.

Andrew Lansdown

Apprehension

As we amble in autumn in Nara Park,
where cherries and gingkoes are turning stark

and stags scent the heat of hinds on the breeze,
my soul apprehends as my sight perceives

the heart-shaped leaves of the Chinese tallows,
crimson as blood from the Man of Sorrows.

Andrew Lansdown

Loss

I had a friend, a friend who loved me.
And I loved him like a brother, too.
But he does not love me anymore.

They were days of camaraderie,
days of shared goals and joys—those days when
I had a friend, a friend who loved me.

And keeping company was no chore,
whether in cinemas or churches.
But he does not love me anymore.

When faced with a dread shared enemy
I took courage and fought on because
I had a friend, a friend who loved me.

Gradually, fabled forevermore
turned to nevermore and I gathered
that he does not love me anymore.

He gave no cause for closing the door,
but cool by cruel he made it plain:
I had a friend, a friend who loved me,
but he does not love me anymore.

Andrew Lansdown

The Lotus Pod Innovations

1
Truly Japanese,
lotus, your innovation on
western revolvers—
adding firepower by adding
more chambers to the cylinders!

2
Are you planning
a game of Russian roulette
autumn lotus?
One slot in your cylinder
still holds a snub-nosed bullet.

3
Lotus, the size
of your pistol’s spinning wheel
is most novel—
but would the Buddha approve
changing six- to sixteen-shooters?

Andrew Lansdown