…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.