What wondrous current is this?
When we meet, face to face,
Our hearts effortlessly draw, converging.
Soon, mingling in the tree's cool shade,
We become transparent, a single breath of wind,
Seeming to roam the boundless world.
Sunlight dapples, a shimmering sheen—
In this precious, peaceful time,
What quiet truths will we discover?
So much stirs deep within my heart,
Yearning to be uttered,
But when I begin,
Words prove too elusive, stubborn.
Like tethering thoughts to a clock's swift hand,
I place each, so carefully, upon my tongue.
My truest wish: to offer you
My fresh heart, unveiled and whole,
Like a ripe grape, sweet and bursting.
But I've found joy, too, in slow understanding,
Born from these hesitant conversations.
It's like the familiar comfort of a country lane,
Like the quiet pleasure of a cow's contemplative rumination.
For this calm afternoon spent with you,
I regret not bringing
Even a simple tea set.
So, I must borrow from the wind,
Two cups of pure, airy transparency.
Into them, I pour the gardenia's essence,
And with a gentle chime, we toast.
Ordinary talk is more than enough;
What rises in our hearts, honestly offered,
For we are two who can find such sweetness in it,
Like a shared confection.
This drawing near, this tender pull of hearts—
It brings such profound joy.
Though we arrived with nothing but ourselves,
A lavish summer afternoon's invisible tea party unfolds,
Like waiting for tea leaves to slowly open,
We simply savor this moment, steeped in fragrant peace.
【Japanese version】