Japanese Garden at Hotel Narita View.(Poem)

 
JAPANESE GARDEN AT HOTEL NARITA VIEW 
 
   1. 1st Master 
 
   Swordmaestro at ease and perfect, 
   he outwaits the storm 
   loose-sleeved in his formal garden, 
   under the small umbrella-shrine 
   there for his need on the path, 
   tempered sword slung in his silk sheath 
   at the approved angle, fierce wispy beard and eye. 
 
   Tranquil on a natural planned rock, 
   his feet and scabbard are placed carefully as the stone 
   in an age of civilised mayhem. 
   A servant, scurrying comic, 
   brings him his green-leaf tea, departs 
   unregarded in the rain, careful not to crush 
   a tuff that boils with small red ants. 
 
   2. 2nd Master 
 
   Designated plants rise in chartered tiers, 
   each half-clipped leaf aligned. 
   The green pool, residual, collects 
   for chill centennial carp 
   thin gruel of the chartered forest. 
   This landscape tempered as his sword, 
   shaped by superstitious, 
   corporate fauna and quisling flora, 
   cheers each of the owner's Springs. 
 
   Azaleas controlled 
   in thick shade, scanted soil; 
   the labour of retainers, 
   draws to the eye a quiet carpet 
   where licit mushrooms swell. 
 
   This garden, bought with blood, drips righteousness 
   upon a worthless son. 
 
   Everything pleasing and placed: 
   trees, wives, rocks and underclass 
   --a military aristocracy rewards itself 
   with the ultimate spoil: peace. 
 
   Image of the state as garden 
   --far from the squalling of servants' brats 
   and the silent reproach of concubines 
   --where lives are pruned with blade. 
 
   Calm and uncritical as a rock 
   nature comes, dutiful friend, 
   bringing no guests except sleek rooks. 
 
   3. 3rd Master 
 
   Giant carp control the lake, 
   wallowing, complacent, 
   feed on glutinous rice, 
   silvery ancients reminding 
   how scales and fish-slime outlast dynasties. 
 
   No fishing hawks dare come 
   to this quiet garden where sword and gun once ruled 
   and now rest quietly, having drawn the line. 
 
   These fish grow ancient quickly, 
   plump, uneaten for centuries, 
   part aesthetics and partly 
   ...