Fragrant Wisps

Fragrant Wisps

Autumn Leaves, Cherry Blossoms, Eternal Treasure
Poetic names of incense

Conjuring up peaceful memories
As the lone stick slowly burns

What delicate scents fill the air
Taking the mind to other places

The wisps of smoke slowly rising
Carried by the subtle currents

The slightest movements, signaling a new direction
The clouds of scent gather like a fragrant blanket

Then stretching into wispy webs of cloudy whiteness
Disappearing as the final silken threads become invisible

Soon the fragrances permeate the senses
The now invisible mist carrying its subtle messages

The stick of incense slowly consumes itself into ash
Leaving delicate impressions upon our memory

We too like the incense are consumed by life
Our actions touching the known and the unknown

May our personal scents be of cherry blossoms, autumn,
And the eternal.

Comments: One day I was quietly observing a stick of incense burn - incidentally, not a common pastime of mine. I became acutely aware not only of the delicate scents playing games with my olfactory nerves but also the wispy traces of smoke rising from the incense stick, drifting effortlessly in the air. For a moment, I wished to be so free. The smoke would come together then separate into minute threads that disappeared. As they disappeared, the intensity of the fragrance increased. The poem began to form in my mind along with the corollary between a stick of incense and life.

If you enjoy incense or if you find the average 'McDonalds' variety not to your liking, then you may want to explore the following web site for Shoyeido. This centuries old, family owned company creates some of the finest incense in the World. For Shoyeido, incense is an art form and an integral part of life. The site is well worth a visit. Click here to go to www.shoyeido.com.

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