岐
祈
忌 - Mourning
In old Kyoto, a poet bows at Bashō’s death anniversary, known as “芭蕉Mourning.”
He clutches his Self tightly, whispering, “Only I can carry this weight.”
But his Heart trembles, painted in pale white-the color of Japanese funerals.
Paper talismans (物忌札) rustle on the shrine gates, reminding everyone of days marked off as taboo.
Together, Self and Heart etch the glyph of Mourning-a hush where the living step back, honoring silence as much as memory.
