Shunkan (Moment)
UA
The leaf loved once.
It emerged on the surface of the water and disappeared. A lone bubble shone brilliantly and simply disappeared. When the leaf noticed, she was already gone. He wanted to kiss her cheek. In the twinkling of an eye, one November morning the leaf's body turned red. When the north wind whistled by, the leaf joined the whirlwind and round and round descended to the water's surface. The entire body of cold, winter water trembled and then warmed as much as his red figure. The sun completely set, and when the sky turned red so as to not be outdone by him, he thought, "ah, I wonder if I've ever seen such a pretty sky." Day after day he only looked at the pond and in doing so completely forgot about looking at the expansive world. Floating in this state of mind from that time, he had only one thought. It deliberately, profoundly, superficially, slowly followed him along. Drowned by the crimson world, he closed his eyes. When he became aware of a mysterious, soft sound at his right ear he noticed. Her. When at long last she visited him and his one wish was fulfilled, he became enveloped by the big world. When he greeted her, he finally achieved his goal. He submerged his body just a little for her. She effortlessly tumbled from around his right ear, and the two softly kissed. And then she was gone with a pop. The water completely covered his already submerged body, and he sank rapidly. When he realized what was happening, he was already at the bottom of the water. Not even noticing him, a big catfish slowly moved along. She had wanted to go to the sky. What is the true color of the sky? The same color reflected here. What color is it here? The color of water.
In that moment you can't relive, the cause of happiness and to the same degree, sadness, seems like it will burst like the wide sky or the surface of a bubble.
Because there was everything and everything ended, my heart simply floats in the mud. In the fever of love I mistook the season. From far away a lotus flower cries. A kiss like the color red or a kiss like a bubble, and happiness and sadness that seem as if they will burst are what you're supposed to love most. And you can't even return to that moment.
Some story like this will surely happen to you, but don't be afraid of times like that when they come. Take the plunge. The cold water is a phonoscope for you. It's what you wanted more than anything else. The lotus flower will make you remember.
A story like this might happen to you since you won’t tolerate times like that. Take the plunge. The cold water is inside of you. Take a look and sink into it. If you really want it, draw a lotus flower and mix the colors.
Translated by Leslie H
