Alice Benedict

Tokyo-Kiyosumi Gardens

In the crowd after the morning session, greeting friends I had not had time to talk to this morning, meeting people for the first time I had only known through books or journals. Introductions, cards and gifts exchanged. Once into the garden, only a few people can be seen at any one time; somehow we blend into the trees, rocks and water. The path to the pavilion where lunch is served circles the garden, winds among small mounds planted with camellia, azalea, maple, and even a few orange trees. The stones of the path seem to encourage a slow pace, with many pauses. Even so, I walk faster than others, catching up with a small group. A single natural stone is the more massive for bridging a narrow streamlet that flows into the garden's central pond.

surprised,
after a morning of rain
at warmth in the stone