Mid-journey, far from any lamplight
At a mountain temple, I untie my straw sandals
The night air pierces through my skin
On a moss-covered rock, I lay myself down
In the floor's shadow, a figure stands
A face I knew long ago—I softly call out
Pretending to be cold, lowering her lashes
She sighs, as if testing me—
On this freezing night, just this one thing
Won't you lend me that robe of yours?
Just the edge of a sleeve will be enough
Beneath my lashes' shade, I tell a lie
The moon is high, the night is long
On a single shoulder, frost descends
"That's all I'm asking," I say
But truly, I want to be closer to you
To one who has cast off the world, one robe is all
Ink-dyed sleeves, the precept I must protect
At the calling of a name from long ago
The heart I had quieted now stirs again
Before the Buddha, eyes cast down
The more I waver, the clearer the moon grows
A warmth I thought forgotten, just one
Unraveling from deep within my chest—
If I refuse to lend, you become distant
If I lend, everything will fall apart
I asked the Buddha—no answer comes
I hide my trembling voice behind a joke
If a single robe is all you'd share
I'd touch even this precept of mine
Why now, why does my heart shake
Just at the calling of an old name?
Beneath that single layer of robe
Standing in the in-between of sacred and profane
In this game of "lend or not"
A small touch of truth
When she says she's cold
Knowing it's a lie
Even so, tonight, I want to stay here
On this freezing night, just this one thing
Though refusing makes you distant
If we could share that robe
Even the lie beneath my lashes would melt
The moon is high, the night is long
On two shoulders, frost descends
"That's all I'm asking," I say
But truly, I want to be closer to you
Sleeping rough upon the rocks, so cold I am—
Won't you lend me your robe of moss?
This world-rejecting robe of moss is but a single layer—
Refuse, and we grow distant; let us lie down together
Sleeping rough upon the rocks, so cold I am—
Won't you lend me your robe of moss?
This world-rejecting robe of moss is but a single layer—
Let us lie together, just for this one night
Beyond the game of "lend or not"
Fingertips that touched, no longer letting go
Just one layer wrapping us in this night
Please, just like this, may dawn not come
May dawn not come...
Just like this, forever...
