“The Waking” by Theodore Roethke

I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
I feel my fate in what I cannot fear.
I learn by going where I have to go.

We think by feeling. What is there to know?
I hear my being dance from ear to ear.
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.

Of those so close beside me, which are you?
God bless the Ground! I shall walk softly there,
And learn by going where I have to go.

Light takes the Tree; but who can tell us how?
The lowly worm climbs up a winding stair;
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.

Great Nature has another thing to do
To you and me, so take the lively air,
And, lovely, learn by going where to go.

This shaking keeps me steady. I should know.
What falls away is always. And is near.
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
I learn by going where I have to go.

 

After Kamakura we spent the 30th in Tokyo, because I had managed to procure two tickets to Koichi Domoto’s stage production Endless Shock. It’s an epic musical that has been running for ten years, over 700 performances. Every year they try to come up with some new trick to impress the audience – some of whom I assume make it an annual event – and just about any thing you can imagine happening on stage – and some things you can’t – will happen. I assumed we’d have some time to do other things after the show – I was wrong. We were in the theater for four hours, and only had time for a quick walk through Ueno before dark.

 

In the morning we’d also eaten breakfast at the 100% Chocolate Cafe – the drinks are so-so but they have a wide varray of unusually flavored squares – and dropped into the Kite Museum. I’d call it a good day’s planning.

 

Oh, and some clips from the show Mom and I saw, if you’re curious:

Koichi sings!

Koichi dances!

Koichi sings in “English”!

Koichi falls down a flight of stairs! (I knew it was coming, and I still clutched onto Mom’s arm…)

 

堂本光一