Blurring the Moon

by Michael Dylan Welch and Emiko Miyashita

First published in Hedgerow #137, December 2021, page 21. Originally written in Japan on the Hikari shinkensen, 25 November 2013, between Nagoya and Kyoto.

water laps the legs

of the bronze heron—

maples almost leafless Michael

our bullet train passes

stations with names of bridges Emiko

low clouds

threatening rain . . .

I straighten my seat Michael

persimmons ripening—

the medicine well

we plan to visit Emiko

frozen in the glacier

unknown seeds Michael

silvery ripples . . .

eyedrops

blur the moon Emiko