…finds me here

I wander with a broken heart
weary from lack of sleep
I know not if this is a dream
or my reality
my heart is heavy
with the weight of loss
and I ache for a moment
just a brief moment of peace
in this timeless place
asleep or awake

Komorebi finds me here
healing my wounds
with its soft caress
as light paints the canopy
in threads of fire
and the leaves above
shifting in the wind
are touched
with shimmering gold
as I stand here in silence

the sun and the shadows
paint patterns
of trembling lace
upon my bare skin
and I am dappled
like the morning
awakening to the day
songs of joy
coursing through my veins
sung in the language
of the trees
and written by the leaves

together they dance
the light
and the shade
for this is
their sacred ritual
witnessing the beauty
becomes a prayer
softly whispered
in another tongue
and as day turns to night
I am still standing here
in awe of all I can see

no one tells you
that Komorebi
can shift its skin
in the moonlight
falling in pale silver
through the same canopy
like the ghost of sunlight
whispering through leaves
soft and low
like a long-forgotten lullaby

in the night, the trees
are no longer trees
but silent witnesses
to the language of shadows
the wind caresses my skin
like a dream
half-remembered
and I think
if my soul has a home
this is what it looks like
dappled and wild
lit from above
by things I cannot touch
but I know intimately
deep within my heart
© Ann Bagnall

What is KOMOREBI?

Komorebi (木漏れ日) is a Japanese word that refers to the sunlight that filters and shines through the leaves of trees, creating a beautiful, dappled light effect on the ground or other surfaces. It’s a word that captures the delicate and fleeting beauty of this natural phenomenon, and there isn’t a single, perfect English equivalent.

木 (ko): Meaning “tree”.
漏れ (more): Meaning “leak” or “seepage”.
日 (bi): Meaning “sun” or “sunlight”.

Together, these characters create the sense of sunlight passing through the leaves of trees, resulting in a pattern of light and shadow. Komorebi is more than just a description of light; it evokes a sense of tranquility, beauty, and a connection with nature. It’s a reminder to appreciate the small, subtle moments of beauty in the world around us.