Kami Ay * (We Are) Poem by Ben Gieske

Kami Ay * (We Are)

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'Kami ay' *
Shinto’s gods *
dwelling within

Temples are we
in sanctuaries
enveloped with 'gohei' *

We stand in awe
of each other
spirits of our seasons

We bow in awe
bound in silence
with each other

The 'torii' * is our pathway
immersing us in waters
only love passes here

- Ben Gieske, March 7,2008

* 'Kami ay' in Tagalog, the national language of the Philippines, means “we are”. It has an exclusive sense, but no exclusion is intended here. Shinto’s gods, knows as 'kami', are the spirits of nature. In the beginning holy places were simply sacred spaces centered around rocks, trees, caves or waterfalls. 'Gohei', zigzags of folded white paper, are hung on these sacred things to indicate sacred space. The 'torii' is a pathway through which visitors to a Shinto shrine pass, first washing their hands and mouths with pure water before proceeding to the altar where they stand in silence and awe within the divine presence. (From 'Haiku Inspirations' by Tom Lowenstein with Victoria James)

COMMENTS OF THE POEM

Thank you very much for this educational poem.a ten

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