Shijima

She came from far away, alone To die alone. To find a place Where silence lives in tree and stone, Where muteness thrives in empty space. She flew across the ocean wide, From noisy crowded cities cold, To find a peaceful place to hide And leave a story yet untold. She came and played the tourist's part, Along with others from her land - A secret held within her heart, A notion so precisely planned. Then walking, parted from the rest, And walking, silent through the snow, And walking, heartbeat calm in breast, And walking - where? No one will know. She came to rest in silence there, A quiet wood her only tomb. Her lifeless form snow-cloaked with care Is welcomed back into the womb. March 5, 2016