Sumo
A French poet
once called it
“the miracle of balance.”
While traveling around the world,
Jean Cocteau
observed that in this sport,
the strongest does not always win.
He marveled at the essence of this contest,
saying:
“The rikishi are
pink, youthful giants,
as if they have stepped down
from the ceiling frescoes
of the Sistine Chapel,
a rare race
of people.”
Somewhere between
the Edo period
and the future,
today as well,
on the dohyo,
the rikishi strive
to keep their balance
and to topple
their opponent’s.
They wrestle endlessly,
forgetting to return
to Michelangelo’s
ceiling.
Copyright © Shinsaku Ashida | Year Posted 2025
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