Haiku:
冬深し
(Fuyu fukashi) – Winter deepens
僧は目を閉じて
(Sō wa me o tojite) – The monk gently closes eyes
神を呼ぶ
(Kami o yobu) – Calling to the gods


Poem:
Snow settles over the temple roof, soft and endless.
Inside, the monk kneels, eyes closed, breath curling in the cold air.
Each exhale becomes a prayer that rises, fragile and pure,
reaching the sky above the mountains.

Each flake lifts gently,
carrying the essence of lives past and prayers long said.
The monk remains still,
his devotion merging with the sacred ascent,
as the courtyard itself seems to breathe with the spirits.