LINES TO BE INSCRIBED ON A JAPANESE KITE


Finder, wherever I fall, that place
is the one I hoped for; whether it be
on factory or temple roof or field of rice,
on Matsushima's islands or the Inland Sea,
on snowy mountain flank or in the lee
of a fisherman's boat, within the riven
shadow of his leaning sail — I see
your finder's hand draw up my kite to heaven
as if, from the endlessness of space
you chose before all others my peculiar face
and translated from a quiet star
into your own wild tongue
these words with which I launch the air
and that the wind carries without care
to you, finder, like a falling song.


 © James Kirkup, 2008