Flow

The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters.
Genesis 1:2

Water thirsts.
For the land it will nourish.
For the life that rides its currents
For its own level.
Not striving or forcing it solvent action.
It’s power to move mountains
or lift ships
Over the jungle.

Water consents to make the sake
That enrages a laborer on the bus from
Shinjuku station
Accosting passengers. Breaking bottles
Until I had enough of him. Angry blood,
70% water, rising.
To meet him
Quickly the old man with rheumatic eyes
Checks my hard hand asking the lout
“What do you drink this fine spring evening my son?”
“Sake, old man!” spitting
“Ah sake, I loved to drink sake in the moon garden with my wife, so lovely and warm!”
"My wife is dead, grandfather. So Kanpai!” broken
”Ah yes, very hard, very sad. My wife died this morning in hospital.
Come sit, my child, tell me about her.“

Water flowing from the red eyes
Of the hard face in the Masters’ lap.
True power in releasing.
In letting go.

NB: As you might know the story in the 2nd stanza is Terry Dolan’s, not mine. Dolan was studying Aikido in Tokyo when something similar happened, a drunk disturbing passengers, on a bus. Terry squared to face him when an old man stopped him and engaged the drunk in conversation. Terry said he learned his most important Aikido lesson that day.
Everyone walked off the bus as they walked on.