nothing at all is born or dies

godspeed you mighty empress

 

Nothing,

nothing at all is born,

dies, the shell says again and

again from the depth of its hollowness.

Its body swept off by tide — so what? It sleeps

in sand, drying in sunlight, bathing in moonlight.

Nothing to do with sea or anything else.

Over and over it vanishes

with the wave.

 

Shinkichi Takahashi