Stephen Nelson

Just Once, Japan 

If I close my eyes, I see her. Clean, combed black hair; white powdered face; pink parasol, blue kimono. She hurries down a sidestreet, modest and demure; radiates a profound sense of service. I see her back, feel her presence like a butterfly. The vision is soft and electric. It must be you because my heart is radiant and there’s a light of clear-seeing in my forehead. Time has passed, the endlessly spinning wheel. We’re both born again now, here, thoroughly devoted siblings. The hug you gave me yesterday was like an aromatic tea; those bright lives accompanying us through this one.

rain in Kyoto
rain in Hamilton
the fast flowing stream at my doorstep

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About the Author

Stephen Nelson’s last book was a Xerolage of visual poetry called Arcturian Punctuation (Xexoxial Editions). He has exhibited visual poetry and published prose and poetry internationally for a number of years. He lives by a burn in Central Scotland.