Nothing in the shadow cast in the mirror

な あ 影 鏡 世

き る に に の

に に あ 映 中

も も れ る は

あ あ や

ら ら

ず ず

源 実朝

Yo no naka wa

Kaga mi ni utsuru

Kage ni are ya

Aru ni mo arazu

Naki ni mo arazu

Our existence

is like a reflection

in a mirror

It really does not exist

but also doesn't not exist

Minamoto no Sanetomo (1192-1219) was a shōgun during very troubled times. He was a very gifted poet, writing more than 700 poems between 17 and 22 years of age, especially excelling in the art of the tanka. 

Earlier on today I was discussing with a dear friend of mine the fact that Greek plays still retained, thousands of years later, that humanity which moved us to tears, which made us (re)think life and our choices; how Greek myths would mirror some of the situations we experienced, which made us pause and ponder.

I had copied this tanka a while ago in my notebook, and it seems so fitting for the both of us right now that I cannot let such a caressing serendipity slip by unnoticed. Here it is, again, for you, dearest.